Hollow Demon
by FieryFafar
Summary: Years have passed since the traumatizing time travel incident. Despite himself, Silver was happy. He has his Pokemon who loves and respects him. He lives a stable and content life. Plus, he has Kotone: The light and reason of his existence. All was well for Silver. He has leave his past behind him for a new future. That is...until Team Rocket decides to come back.
1. PROLOGUE

So, this is life.

Cruelty.

Bitterness.

Agony.

Death.

It's funny, really. How a person's reason to live and be happy can be snatched away in seconds. The first minute, you're actually smiling; actually thinking that there is no wrong in this world.

The next minute: Your life is destroyed and dead before your very eyes, with your soul hanging in the balance.

You just can't be happy forever, can't you?

_I_ can't be happy forever, can't I?

**0-0**

**this is a sequel to Broken Abyss so enjoy =3=**


	2. 1

Silver mumbled in his sleep. His lips pressed shut, cringing at the dreams dancing in his mind. "Nng…" he murmured unconsciously. "Go away Feraligatr…I'm not…toast…" Silver could feel a warm breath caressing his face. His eyebrows twitched uncomfortably. He moved his hand to his face, swatting the disturbing air away.

Suddenly, oxygen was cut off from him.

Silver tried to inhale, but to no avail. He felt his nose being tightly pressed. He gasped loudly, synonym with the time his eyes opened wide.

The redhead was shocked out of his mind to see a smiling brunette pinching his nose.

"Morning," Kotone purred lovingly.

"Gahh!" Silver yelled madly. The shock made him jump, and ended up falling from bed. He groaned in ache for his butt. Kotone laughed enjoyably. Without guilt, she plopped her butt on Silver's bed, her lips smiling at the growling redhead.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted irritatingly. "And how the hell did you get in?!"

The woman pointed to the door – or at least, what was once a door. The entrance was wide open, leaving only shattered and burnt wood. Silver gawked in disbelief at his broken bedroom door. Sitting and yawning lazily at the corner was none other than her beloved – and his arch enemy – Typhlosion. The volcano Pokémon showed no guilt for destroying private property. Silver could swear he saw a cocky smirk on the starter's lips.

"I made breakfast." Kotone sang joyously, ignorant at the fact that she was being a total bother – again.

The redheaded man groaned in sorrow and slammed his face with his palm. "Kotone, one does not barge into a man's room and _destroys fuckin' doors!_" He tried to keep his cool. Believe him. He tried very hard. But once you have a girl that is annoying as hell forbids, the challenge is excruciating.

The brunette giggled softly and crouched down to his eye level. "I'm sorry, baby. Besides, I am your girlfriend. So I have the right to destroy my boyfriend's door and wake him up."

Silver looked upfront. Before he could say a word, Kotone inched forward and placed a soft kiss on his nose. Even when she had done that a thousand times, Silver could not stop the rush of heat flowing to his cheeks. He scoffed bitterly (and bashfully) and looked down. The elegant woman giggled again and stood up. "I made eggs and bacon. So if you want, you get down. Unless you prefer Feraligatr to eat it for you like last time." Just like that, she skipped towards the open exit. Typhlosion led out another yawn and followed his trainer.

Silver's lips were curved into an annoyed line. _Doors aren't cheap these days and she just had to burn another one._ Maybe he should consider a metal door. He shook his head. Silver knew that wouldn't work. If Kotone's Typhlosion couldn't burn it down, she always has that powerful psychic to bend it like twigs.

A low sigh escaped his mouth. The man stretched lazily, having the unwanted feeling of not going down and just sleep for hours.

'Morning Silver!' Sneasel hopped onto Silver's lap, surprising the redhead. The sharp claw Pokémon chirped happily and nuzzled his nose on his beloved trainer's palm. 'Kotone made breakfast. Yayy!'

Even when Silver did not understand what his Pokémon were saying, he knew they were excited every time Kotone came. The girl acted like a mother to his Pokémon. The thought alone sent another wave of heat into his cheeks. _Kotone acting like a mother…So that means I'm a…_

He shook his head before it got any further.

"Get off me, Sneasel. I need to shower," the man grumbled hoarsely and stood up. The ice-type easily jumped off Silver and ran to the kitchen. He watched as his ears caught sounds of cheering and happy barks. Silver sighed under his breath. He shut his eyes, only to see the smiling brunette in his vision. This time, the trainer couldn't help but smile.

For the first time in years, he actually felt happy.

Snatching a towel from his rack, Silver tiredly scooted his feet towards the bathroom. "Dumb woman…" he muttered with a small grin on his face.


	3. 2

Kotone hummed blissfully as she flipped crispy golden-brown bacons. The scent was deliciously flowing inside the house, acting as ecstasy to the Pokémon's nostrils.

'Bacon bacon bacon bacon!' The huge water starter roared in anticipation. He stormed towards the table filled with delicious breakfast treats, but Typhlosion quickly halted his hungry best friend.

'Damn it! Calm down will ya? Kotone is finishing her last batch,' the fire starter growled at Feraligatr. But the water starter deemed ignorant at his friend's comment.

Kotone giggled to see their antics. She went to the next pan and flipped an egg. It was true. The scent was mouth watering. The brunette huffed in pride. She was proud to have her mother's excellent cooking skills.

_Kotone_, Mewtwo said as he stood next to the daydreaming woman, arms crossed against his chest. _I don't mean to be rude, but don't you think you should stop making them by now?_

Kotone stared at her genetic Pokémon. A small frown pursed her tiny pink lips. "That's just mean, Mewtwo. Don't you like my cooking?"

The edge of his lips twisted upwards in amusement. _I told you. Don't get me wrong. Your cooking skills are extremely impressive for a human. But-_ He pointed his finger towards the three tables that were joined together, with tons of plates placed and filled with bacons and eggs. _-you have made 57 of them. And there are only 14 of us._

Kotone spun around. Shock and realization swept into her to see the table was extremely full; no spaces left. "Oops," she muttered, but then giggled. "Guess I was spacing out. Impressive I didn't burn my hand or the food."

The purple legendary breathed a low sigh. His human friend can tend to lose her focus. _Try not to distract yourself, Kotone._

The brunette stuck out her tongue and placed her last batch on a plate. "Well duh. It's not like I did this without realizing it. Did you know that you guys eat like you each have 10 stomachs? I'm tired of seeing Feraligatr and Typhlosion burst into a destructive war just for a slice of pancake like last time." She placed her meal on the table. A pleased smile painted her beautiful face. The thought of Silver eating the food she cooked made her flutter inside.

She looked out the kitchen. Typhlosion was crouching on all fours, preventing Feraligatr from barging in. A delightful laugh chimed from her mouth. "Breakfast is ready!" She whistled out loud, calling all the Pokémon available. At the same time, Mewtwo created a small dome, protecting both him and his trainer.

In less than a second, the whole team barged right inside the kitchen and towards the table.

It was like a mob of mad women at a year-end sale.

Finally, the kitchen began to clear out. Some ate outside. Some at the living room. Typhlosion ate next to Ampharos and Sneasel while Feraligatr gobbled down right from the table. The dome disappeared. The brunette laughed guiltily and Mewtwo sighed heavily.

The kitchen was a mess – again.

"Maybe I should have cooked outside…" she muttered slowly.

_You think?_ The genetic Pokémon asked sarcastically.

Sounds of footsteps were closing in. Her smile grew wider at every tapping sound. Silver entered his kitchen. His red hair wet from the showers and he wore his usual black pants, black shirt, and black and red jacket. The man opened his silver eyes, only to freeze in horror at his wrecked kitchen. "What the hell?!"

"Skitty!" Kotone chirped blissfully, trying to avert his attention. The woman pounced on her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his neck. Silver was now baffled at the mess and her surprise hug. He looked at Kotone with a scowling face. "You destroyed my kitchen – again!"

To some, it may scare the crap out of people to hear Silver's angry voice. But to Kotone, it was like a cute little Skitty meowing for milk. A cheeky grin curved her pretty lips. "I'll fix it. Don't worry, Skitty. It's not like I haven't done this before." She made an apologetic face, making Silver's heart beat unevenly. Finally, he responded with a bitter sigh.

"Fine…" he grumbled.

"Yayy! My Skitty's not mad anymore!" Kotone cheered and continued to wrap her arms on his neck. Not only Silver, but Kotone too could also feel the warmth of his neck and face.

"And stop calling me Skitty…" Silver looked away in abash. But the more he tried to ignore her, the more she leaned forward.

She giggled softly. "How about Slyvia then?"

He looked straight into her hazel eyes, growling, "Fuck no."

Her giggles burst into huge laughs. She patted his chest and snorted another cackle or two. Silver gritted his teeth inside his mouth and tugged on one of her pigtails, making her stop.

"Oww…" She cringed grimly and gave the man a good sharp glare.

Unluckily for her, he taught her that glare. Silver walked past Kotone and sat on a chair. Feraligatr had chewed down almost all the food on the table, leaving empty and cracked plates. He groaned sourly and stared at his starter in irk. "Do you expect me to starve?"

Feraligatr flashed a cheeky grin. He then choked and gagged under his throat. To Silver's horror, a piece of chewed up bacon coughed right out of the starter's mouth. Silver eyes gawked at the piece, then at his innocent-looking Pokémon. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

The big jaw just grinned like an idiot. 'I don't want you hungry.'

Silver huffed in agitation and tapped the table impatiently. Suddenly, a plate was placed in front of him. This one was different. Instead of bacon and eggs like the others, it had some sausages and Farfetch'd hams. The food itself was decorated in a form of a smile. The man stared at the person next to him. Kotone was standing very closely to her boyfriend as she smiled adorably. "What? You don't think I will give you food like the others, don't you?"

Now his face was as red as his hair. He coughed awkwardly and looked at his food. The last thing he wanted was to die in embarrassment. "Whatever…" He took a fork and quickly shoved one piece of bacon into his mouth. The young redhead froze to taste such exquisiteness in one bite. His heart chimed like bells. His eyes shined in pure bliss. The crisp taste of it was nothing Silver ever tasted.

In fact, it tasted like something he had never had in such a long time: His mother's cooking.

His chewing stopped in mid-second. The thought of his beloved mother passed through his mind, shattering his heart a little. He gulped his piece, feeling as if the taste was now bitter in his mouth.

Kotone blinked in confusion. Silver just sat still, eyes staring into space. Her heartbeat began to drum unevenly, afraid of his review of her cooking. "Silv…?"

He looked at his plate. His wet bangs covered his silver eyes. Kotone was getting scared and worried. Every time Silver was acting weird, it reminded her of the dark times; the times Kotone wished they all forget. A soft hand was placed on his shoulder. "Silver…you okay…?"

10 seconds later, Silver looked at his beloved girlfriend. His face was back to normal: Annoyed and slightly irritated. "Yeah I'm fine." He flicked her forehead, earning a sharp yelp from her. "Stop acting so worried, you dumbass."

Kotone mumbled at the swollen numbness. Faint tears simmered inside her eyes. She glared at Silver and stuck out her tongue. "Meanie." She walked to the sink, sulking like a little child.

Silver bit back a laugh. Sounds of chuckles were heard from Ampharos, Sneasel, and Feraligatr. Only Typhlosion grunted in disgust and continued to finish his breakfast. The redhead decided to ignore the volcano Pokémon and ate his breakfast. Every time he took a bite, it reminded him of his dear departed. Chuckling dryly, he shook it off and drank his orange juice.

"Hey Silver."

He heard her voice. Silver looked upfront, only to see Kotone grinning cheekily. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What?"

The girl skipped towards him. Kotone twiddled her fingers playfully. "Can you do me a little favour today?"

_Oh boy._ Hesitant, Silver managed a, "Which is…?"

Kotone clasped her hands together and leaned forward, making Silver arch back in fear. "My cousin is coming for a visit today! So I was wondering you can accompany me to pick her up in Olivine City."

"…Cousin?" Silver mumbled dumfoundedly. He gawked at Kotone. His mind then whirled on the fact that she has a relative from afar. _Wait, if Kotone has a cousin, then she must likely be like her too…_ His lips pursed tightly. Handling one Kotone was treacherous enough, but _two..._

Silver quickly shook his head. "Hell no!"

His immediate answer took Kotone by surprise. She held her waist, frowning bitterly. "Why not?"

_Because I want to live._ "I'm busy."

She wasn't buying it. "You're not busy. It's Saturday. Saturday is the day you spend some time with me." Kotone poked the young man's nose. Silver huffed sourly and pushed her hand away.

"I'm busy and that's that."

_He's lying._ Mewtwo assured his trainer.

Kotone huffed childishly and stared at Silver with pleading eyes. Realizing what she's doing, Silver looked away.

"Please Silver…" she cooed like a Meloetta, making his heart race like a Deoxys. Silver poked his food, distracting himself from her adorable begging eyes.

"Please…for me…" Her voice was toning down and softer. Silver bit his lip. The more she did that, the more he couldn't handle it. The redhead shut his eyes and growled under his throat. He opened his mouth, wanting to say a 'no.'

But instead, he said, "Fine."

Her hazel eyes gleamed in joy. "Yayy!" Silver flinched as Kotone gave him another surprise hug. He almost fell from his chair, but his hands quickly gripped the table.

"Dammit Kotone!" he snarled sourly – with a dash of abash. "Stop fuckin' startling me!"

He heard a low giggle from her. Silver sighed as it only made her tighten her hug. Rolling his eyes, he placed his left hand on her back. They have been together for almost a year, yet Silver was still getting used to the whole 'lovey-dovey' part. Kotone giggled as she felt his hand slowly caressing her back. She leaned on his neck, letting the scent of him swirl in her nostrils.

Taking one sharp breath, she muttered, "I love you…"

Silver stopped. He glanced at the empty sink. His silver eyes shined in a dull matter. He clenched his fist, letting it rest on her back. Silence became music to their ears. Their own heartbeats were drumming in their chest: One waiting for her reply while one was blank with sorrowful thoughts.

Finally, after what seemed like decades, Silver mumbled, "Okay."

Kotone could feel her heart crack. Even so, she hid her sadness and pursed a small smile. She released her grip and broke the hug. The brunette grinned a silly grin and pinched his nose. "Finish your breakfast. We'll move to Olivine in an hour."

Chuckling boringly, he pushed her hand away again and flicked her nose. Kotone yelped in slight pain, which amused him. "Whatever pigtails." He continued to finish his food while his girlfriend rubbed her swollen nose.

Her eyes stared at Silver. Her heart beat in an uneven rhythm. _I love you._ She had said that many times to him. Ever since that fateful night near the campfire, they were finally together. Although Kotone knew Silver loved her as much as she loved him, every night and day she ached to hear those three words from him. Never had the young man muttered the magical words to her. Sure, Kotone understood. He's different from any guy. _It is Silver after all._ He had endured a lot and for him to say such words might be hard.

Even so, Kotone will wait for that day when she finally heard it from his very own mouth.

* * *

The remains of the old Cinnabar Island was like a desert. Ever since the volcanic incident, residents had moved and created a new city of their own; made from scratch. Years had passed and the new Cinnabar Island was at peace. Now, the old Cinnabar was just one huge pile of hard lava.

But, deep inside the pile of rock-hard lava, laid a place; a mansion that once held pride to the Wolfe family. But thanks to multiple tragic misfortunes, not only that the mansion was burnt, but it was also shattered into dusty pebbles; burying deep inside the volcano's spit.

And below that crumpled mansion – was an untouched underground laboratory.

Suddenly, the laboratory's ceiling began to melt, finally crumbling into ashes. A dark Pokémon jumped from the hole he made. A few seconds later, his trainer followed suit.

The man looked around the empty lab. It was dusty, seeing that nobody had ever entered since that horrifying day. He walked around, hands in his pockets. He could hear his comrades jumping in, his feet still moving about.

"What are we looking for again?" His comrade asked lazily, hands behind his head.

Before the man could answer, he saw a metallic device shined inside a transparent box. He couldn't help but smile widely. His blue eyes focused on the device. His heart raced in anticipation. He could feel his skin tingle in utmost joy. Yes. His plan was moving in motion.

Laughing evilly, Archer said, "We've found it."


	4. 3

"Kotone," Silver huffed angrily. "How long do we have to wait here?"

The brunette hopped joyfully, eyes on the ocean. "The boat's arriving in a few minutes. Be patient, Silver." They waited at the pier. A few people were walking about, also waiting for their respective guests. Sneasel purred lovingly on the woman's head. Typhlosion eyed the sharp claw in envy. Silver crossed his arms, rolling his eyes in irritation. He hates being crowded. Silver just wanted to sit at home and sleep all day long.

Before he could rant some more, the boat arrived at the pier.

"They're here!" Kotone quickly tugged Silver's wrist, almost making him unstable. She pulled him into the large crowd.

"H-h-hey!" Silver shouted frantically, trying to release himself. But Kotone's grip was tight as metal. Finally, they stopped near the boat's exit. The redhead massaged his throbbing forehead, silver eyes glaring sharply at his girlfriend. "Woman! What did I say about pulling me?!"

Kotone peeked from behind and grinned playfully. "You never did."

Her ignorant attitude earned her a low growl. Passengers from the boat began to clear out. Cursing under his breath, he took hold of Kotone's hand and pulled her the nearest corner, seeing that she was literally blocking the exit.

Kotone jumped in joy. Silver sighed heavily at her childish behaviour. Then, his mind clicked. "By the way, what does your cousin looks like?"

She looked at him with a bright smile. "She has brown hair like me. And she's the same age as us. And she wears a hat."

Another disappointing sigh escaped his lips, along with a slap on his face. "Kotone, if you're wondering, almost all the people in that fuckin' ship are brunettes, same age, and wear hats."

She stuck out her tongue. "Well you asked what she looks like."

"I meant her name, you dumbass!" He shouted out of reflex. The loud voice attracted a few people's attention. Sneasel almost fell off Kotone's head. Typhlosion and Feraligatr sighed at their trainers.

"Oh right." Kotone tapped her lips, eyes wandering in thought. A happy giggle chimed out of her mouth. "Her name is-"

"Kotone?"

Kotone turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Her eyes widened in utmost joy and her smile grew until it almost reached her ears. "White!" Without haste, she dashed for her cousin. Unprepared for the sudden change of actions, Sneasel finally fell to Silver's feet.

A few seconds later, they were hugging and jumping, with a dash of girlish squeals.

"Oh my Arceus I can't believe you're here!" Kotone cheered joyfully.

"I know right! I'm so happy I'm here too!" White squealed blissfully.

Silver gawked with his mouth wide open. His arms flailed by his sides, dumbfounded at the scene the girls were making. The two kept jumping and hopping like little Bunearys. Sneasel rubbed his head in dizziness. Feraligatr laughed out loud while Typhlosion posed a poker face.

"I am so happy that you can make it!" They finally broke the hug. "You have no idea how long it's been since I've last seen you, Cous."

White grinned cheekily. "Well, I've been kinda bust lately. But forget that. I'm here right now! Yayy!"

To Silver's dismay, they continued to jump – again.

"Oh right." Kotone snapped her attention towards the gloom redhead. Taking one sharp breath, she whistled loudly.

Silver raised his eyebrow in confusion. _Why did she…?_ Suddenly, he felt his body being lifted. "H-hey!" The man flailed his arms and legs in panic. He looked behind, and then cursed as he realized Feraligatr was gripping his jacket with his fangs. "Feraligatr! Put me down!"

Ignoring his trainer's orders, the big jaw Pokémon skipped towards the brunettes. Kotone giggled cheerfully while White blinked in stupor.

"You can put him down now." The pigtails purred.

Feraligatr released his grip. And Silver landed with a thud.

Angry, he quickly stood up and snarled, "What the fuck was that for?!"

His beloved girlfriend ignored Silver and faced White. "White, meet Silver."

The feisty brunette stared at Silver in a baffled manner. A stupid, disbelieving grin was plastered on her face. "Uh…hey?"

The tall redhead crossed his arms stubbornly, eyes glaring at White. "Don't look at me like I'm some weirdo."

White was left in a bewildered state. She gawked at the scowling redhead, then stared at her smiling cousin. "He seems nice," she spat sarcastically. The pigtailed brunette laughed amusingly while Silver shouted a loud 'hey'.

"So," Kotone clasped her hands together. "Since you've met Silver, where's that beloved boyfriend of yours?" She winked coyly, making White's cheeks flush. The Unova champion snapped her fingers and looked around. "Ah right! He was behind me a second ago…"

"Oh wow! This place is beautiful!"

Six heads turned to the sound of the voice. There standing a few feet from them, was none other than the former King of Team Plasma – standing on a barrel, admiring the whole scenery of Olivine City.

"Who's that idiot?" Silver asked spitefully, eyes staring in disgust.

"He's cute." Kotone's eyes sparkled, which made Silver fuse in jealousy.

"Uh…" White scratched the back of her head. "That's N. He's uh…my…boyfriend."

The second she said that, wind was basically the only thing that can be heard around them.

"…What?" The redhead's mouth was agape. White laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of her head.

Unaware of the oddly quiet situation, N ran to White and hugged her from behind. "This place is beautiful White! So many beautiful Pokémon that I've never seen before. I am excited!"

The two Johto teenagers could only stare in dumbstruck. White giggled bashfully and pulled N to her side. "N, this is my cousin, Kotone."

The greenette flashed a wide white smile. "Hi there White's cousin! You are an adorable person!" Without time to respond, N hugged the petite pigtailed brunette. Kotone's eyes were wide as saucer plates. Her hands pressed on his chest. Heck, her face felt flushed and red in seconds.

As for Silver, his whole skin prickled in complete jealousy.

"Hey!" he shouted, catching their attention. N broke his hug and stared at Silver strangely.

"And you are?" The dashing greenette asked ignorantly, making Silver even more enraged.

White sighed slowly. "That's Silver. Kotone's boyfriend."

The minute he heard White's explanation, a huge smile bounced back on his face. "Hi Kotone's boyfriend! A friend of Kotone is a friend of White. And a friend of White is definitely a friend of mine." N released his hug and aimed for Silver.

To Silver's horror, he quickly stretched his arms forward. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

N stopped. He tilted his head in confusion and slight disappointment. "I want to hug you." He grinned boyishly. "White says hugs are ways to show that you are welcomed, especially to families and friends." N widened his arms again, walking towards Silver.

Silver eyes were wide as if he saw death in his eyes. "S-stay away from me you creep!" The man scooted a few feet backwards. Finally, he turned around and ran for his life.

N, being the persistent man he is, didn't give up and chased him. "Wait! It is compulsory. Don't you love your friends?!"

"I don't even fucking know you! Gahh!" He dashed faster. The two ran around in circles. Feraligatr and Typhsloion let out a huge cackling roar while Sneasel snickered coyly.

The two ladies just gawked dumbfoundedly. A few blinks later, Kotone giggled in amusement. "Your boyfriend is so sweet." She stared at her cousin, who was a feet taller than her. "So, got all your bags?"

White smiled at the pigtails and nodded. Whistling once, Samurott and Zoroark appeared with some luggage.

"Aww! So this is Samurott! He is so cute!" Kotone petted the formidable Pokémon's head, making Samurott grinned in aloof. The woman laughed joyfully and stared at Zoroark. Hazel eyes sparkled in utter awe. "Oh wow he's beautiful!"

White laughed cheerfully. "That's N's childhood friend, Zoroark."

"Hi Zoroark!" Kotone happily shook the Pokémon's paw. The dark-type flashed a sunny smile, loving the human girl's pleasant behaviour. 'Hi Kotone!'

"For the last time! _Go away!_"

"I will not go away until I give you a friendly hug!"

"_Kotone!_"

Two human heads and five Pokémon heads turned to see the chasing men. Seeing his friend's childish behaviour, Zoroark sighed in embarrassment.

Giggling blissfully, Kotone chirped, "I know we're gonna have a great time together."

**0-0**

**it seems i have made White and Kotone related, N a bit derpy, and the story being derpy itself despite the title. But Silver is being Silver and thats all good.**

**oh well enjoy 3**


	5. 4

"Oh wow! Kotone, your house looks awesome!"

Kotone scratched her head in abash. Her cheeks flushed in a pink colour. Her mouth burst cheeky giggles. "Ah it's nothing. I'm just happy to have found a place for me and my Pokémon."

Silver rolled his eyes at her statement. Yeah, one would be happy – if one so happen to live in a luxurious penthouse in one of the finest condos in Goldenrod City.

The place was located on the rooftop of the condominium. It was huge; almost a storey high so that her Pokémon can fit. The walls were coloured in a light blue hue. Only one wall wasn't coloured, instead tinted with a huge glass for the beautiful view of the city. Not only that, but a wide and shallow swimming pool was seen outside of the house, just so her and her Pokémon could have some pool time. All in all, it was a beautiful house – and Kotone lived in it.

A loud gasp caught their attention. Three heads turned to the huge glass wall. N was admiring the view. If he were a Pokémon, his tail would be wagging in excitement by now.

"This is beautiful!" The greenette chimed. "Look Zoroark! I can see the famous Bell Tower from here!" He pressed his hands against the wall, emerald eyes sparkling like a little kid.

Silver grunted again. Kotone and White giggled. "He can be…enthusiastic sometimes." The tall brunette looked at her cousin. "But you'll get used to him. You and he are pretty much alike mentally."

Kotone stuck out her tongue. "Haha. Very funny." White laughed again as she ruffled the petite woman's hair. Annoyed, especially at the strange new guy, Silver slumped himself on the couch and sighed bitterly.

All the Pokémon were out of their balls, helping their trainers with their luggage. Standing outside the house was Lillil, holding a tiny leaf-knitted handbag. Her eyes sparkled at the elegant decorations of the house and view. 'Oh wow! This place is beautiful! I can't believe we're staying here!' The flowering Pokémon clapped her leafy hands blissfully. Samurott, standing behind his friend, just smiled.

'If you think that's awesome, wait till you see my room.'

Lillil opened her eyes. Yelps escaped from her mouth to see Typhlosion crouching right in front of her. The volcano Pokémon grinned mischievously. He was smitten with the Lilligant ever since she got out of her Pokéball. His tail wagged, his red blazing eyes blinking coyly at the gawking Pokémon.

Sadly, his mesmerisation was cut off as a sword pierced between them.

Typhlosion looked up. Samurott was gripping his sword, eyes glaring at the Johto fire starter. 'Stay away from Lillil.'

The volcano Pokémon stood on his hind legs, eyes glaring right back. 'I'm just playing with Lillil. It's not like I'm gonna burn her.'

Samurott scoffed ignorantly. 'She's not interested.'

'What do you know?!' Typhlosion snarled angrily. In minutes, their foreheads were pressed against each other, each giving off death glares. Lillil gawked dumbly as the two males had a stare down.

'Hi there!'

She looked to her side. Standing and smiling in front of her was Feraligatr. 'Nice to meet ya! I'm Feraligatr! I like food!'

The Lilligant stared at the big jaw Pokémon in disbelief. 'Uh, hi.'

Feraligatr grinned joyfully, his tail wagging. 'You're gonna have a great time here. Kotone cooks good food!'

Seeing his cheerful personality, it made Lillil curved a small smile. Heat rushed into her cheeks. 'Thank you…'

'You are not the boss of me. Don't make me burn you!'

Samurott laughed arrogantly. 'Like your little fire cracker could ever harm me.'

'That's it!' The volcano pounced on the formidable. In the end, the two were caught in a battle.

Zebstrika and Ampharos sighed bitterly at their close friends. One had a temper while one was overprotective. When you mix them up together, havoc will be the result.

Feraligatr, who always sees things in a good way, just barked, 'That fire-breathing, roaring maniac is my best friend. We've known each other since we were in eggs.'

Lillil stared at the sparring two, then at the huge Johto water starter. A dumb grin flashed on her face. 'I see…'

* * *

"Mmm, this is delicious!" Kotone purred as she bit a slice of chocolate cake, courtesy of White. The four sat inside the living room. Silver sat on the couch while his girl sat on the ground, between his parted legs. He sighed boringly as Kotone kept humming and swaying her body in joy.

White smiled in pride to receive a compliment from her baking skills. N sat next to her, also chewing blissfully at her pastry.

Silver opened one eye, lazily staring at Kotone. "You're gonna get fat from eating…" he muttered faintly.

Words barely verbal in her ears, Kotone looked at Silver. "You said something, Skitty?"

"Nothing," The redhead looked away. The sun was setting in Johto. The sky was a light orange, colouring the city with its elegance. Silver eyes grew dim at the sight of the sunset. Of all his 20 years of living, there was only one thing he would never get bored of: Seeing the sunset. Something he picked up from his mother.

Thinking back, it made him smile a little.

Well, that smile was destroyed as soon as he felt someone sitting on his lap.

The man looked forward, eyes round in shock. Kotone sat on top of him, flashing a cheeky smile. In her left hand was a piece of cake. "Try some," she purred lovingly, leaning a bit closer.

Still shocked and slightly embarrassed, Silver leaned backwards. "No." He growled under his breath. The warmth of her body began to heat his legs, making him uncomfortable.

Sadly, she was making it worse. "Try some." A sly, seductive smirk curved at the edge of her lips. "Or do you want me to feed you with my mouth…?"

If it were for his instincts, Silver would gladly accept the second option. "Get off. We have people, you moron…" He cringed to hear laughter from White. His face was getting redder like his hair. "Kotone Soul. Off me. Now."

The lovely pigtails shook her head, lips still curved into a smile. "No."

White laughed again. She held her stomach and cackled at the couple's behaviour. Yes. Her cousin definitely had a weird taste for men. The brunette tapped her knee in glee as angry growls from the redhead rang in her ears.

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted, halting her laughs completely. Her body was being put down, but on something – or someone. White looked to her side, only to see a smiling N. "W-what are you doing?"

N looked at White, then at the odd couple, and then back at his girlfriend. "Kotone is sitting on Silver's lap. And they look cute, like a couple should." Without warning, he wrapped his arms around the petite woman's waist. "And we're a couple. So we should be sweet too."

Just like Silver, heat was swiftly rushing into her face. "L-let go off me, you idiot!"

* * *

"Haa! I'm so sleepy!" Kotone stretched her arms. She stared at Silver, who was looking at her in an annoyed matter. A cute smile curved her pink lips. She scratched Typhlosion's head. The volcano Pokémon purred like an engine, enjoying the attention he was getting. Hazel eyes focused as Silver rose up from his seat. He whistled loudly, calling his team of six. "Where are you going?" she asked curiously, hands still petting her starter.

"I'm going home. I have a home, you moron." He said boringly, hands in his pockets. As soon as he saw his Pokémon were outside, Silver began to move.

"You're going?" The brunette asked, disheartened. "You're not staying over?"

Silver chuckled dryly. "I have no motive to stay at your place. I have my own place." Sneasel hopped on the redhead's head. His claw waved happily at Kotone and the napping fire starter.

Truth be told, Kotone wanted Silver to stay. She wanted him to stay over; to stay closer by her side. She missed him. And it had been a while since they last met. So tonight, Kotone wouldn't want that chance to go away.

Thankfully, her mind was sharp on wits. "I guess this house will be just me, White, and _N_ then."

Silver stopped.

Biting back a grin, Kotone continued. "I mean, yeah it's gonna be fun! Besides, it's nice to have a man in the house." She tapped his lips, mind in a thought. "I'm thinking of going swimming tonight. I did bought a new bikini two days ago. And I can't wait to have a swim with White and _N_ tonight." While she talked, the name 'N' was strongly emphasized in her tone. She looked at the frozen redhead, wondering if Silver took the bait.

He took it.

Turning around, walking towards Kotone, stopping in front of her, and eyes down, he snarled, "I'm staying over."

This time, she was trying very hard not to laugh. "Oh, and I thought you said-"

"You burnt down my door and wrecked my kitchen. I deserve a place to stay." Fists were formed in his pockets. Silver knew the N guy was White's boyfriend. But the thought of N and Kotone under the same roof – or worse – N able to see Kotone in a bikini…

The flames of jealousy and possession burned inside him like a thousand Ho-ohs.

Kotone clapped her hands in joy. "Yayy! My Skitty is sleeping with me tonight!" Although she was happy, her Typhlosion was the opposite. The fire starter rolled his eyes at the redhead in disgust and shut his eyes. Even after their years of seeing each other, both the Pokémon and the human could still not get along.

"Sleeping with you?" The man asked in bafflement. Heat shaded his cheeks. "I- Why would I want to sleep with you?" Deep inside, he wanted to so badly.

Kotone smiled cheerfully. "Well, since N and White are sharing a room, you and I have to share a room too."

That shade of pink was slowly turning into a deep shade of red. "You have five fucking rooms! Why would I want to bunk at your bed?!"

His girl crossed her legs lazily and petted Typhlosion. "The other three rooms are the Pokémon's rooms. So unless you want to share a flaming basket with Ty Ty, you sleep with me."

Silver gawked dumbly at Kotone. A low growl vibrated in his ears, preferably coming from Typhlosion. The redhead huffed sourly. He would rather sleep in Mt Silver naked than sharing a bed with the deadly fire starter. Finally, after a complicated, troublesome war with himself, Silver breathed, "Fine."

"Yayy!" Kotone pounced on her beloved rival. Silver flinched backwards, but his feet were glued to the floor. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her giggle chirped in his ear.

Trying his best not to throw her on the couch and ravage her, Silver gripped her waist and tried to pull her way. "Let me go dammit!"

Kotone shook her head and tightened her hug. "No." Opening her eyes, her expression began to show from happiness to hopeful. Pursing her lips, she murmured, "I love you."

Silver froze. His eyes glowed dim at her words and the tone of her voice.

The two stayed like that for a good minute. Kotone hugged his neck tightly, hoping for the words she achingly craved. Silver's hands held her waist, silently battling with his mind and heart. The moon shined elegantly up above the sky. Goldenrod City blinked in rainbow colours, adding life to the bustling city in Johto.

Huffing slowly, Silver tugged the woman away. A broken smile pursed on his lips. "I gotta shower. Don't enter the bedroom first." Before she could say a word, Silver walked to her room.

Her eyes just followed his movements. Finally, he disappeared into her room. The brunette stood quietly. She gazed at her palms, trembling and shaking. She heard her heart race, each beat banging and echoing inside her.

He avoided her words – again. She felt his body stiffen the second she said it. _It's not his fault,_ Kotone kept thinking. _He has his reasons. He loves me._

And yet, her other half was extremely doubtful.

Kotone looked at her Typhlosion. "Baby, I'm going for a walk. Wanna join me?"

The volcano Pokémon's ears twitched upwards. He looked at his beloved trainer, eyes gleaming in anticipation. 'I wanna join! I wanna join!'

* * *

The brunette sat quietly on a bench. The Goldenrod Park was empty and calm, filled with sleeping wild Pokémon and a few Hoothoots flying about. She pursed her lips, hands clasping together and covering her mouth. All she could think about, all she could see was the spiteful redhead.

Kotone remembered the day she met him. He stood by the professor's lab, looking out the window like a stalker. She found him strange as the girl had never seen him before. But also, at that time, both were completely unaware that since that day, marked the day of their fate.

Days changed into months. Months changed into years. They bonded into an odd friendship. All seemed the same for them. All was innocent and nice.

That is, until that one fateful night.

The night where Kotone knew it all. The night Silver wished he would never know of it ever again.

She met the man responsible for Silver's despair. She met the Giovanni – Silver's father. What's worse, Giovanni tried to kill him.

And to add salt to the wound, Silver almost died protecting her.

_Bang!_

Oxygen was like ice flowing through her nostrils. Kotone clamped her ears shut. The sound of the gunshot rang perfectly in her memory. Her eyes dampened, mind swirling at the thought. She saw his blood. She saw his eyes tightly shut. She saw his chest, opened and wounded deeply. "No." Kotone breathed roughly, coughing the memories out. She looked at her Typhlosion, who was sitting on all fours, fiery eyes staring at her in worry.

"Typhlosion," she called out softly, trying to distract her from her thoughts. "I know you don't like Silver-"

She heard and saw the fire starter scoff bitterly.

Luckily, it eased her heart a bit. A small, faint smile painted her face. "But do you think he…loves me?"

Typhlosion froze to hear such words. He pursed his furry muzzle. His mind twirled for a while. True. The Pokémon hated that human's gut. He never understood why Kotone would even like the redhead in the first place. But thanks to that misfortunate night, when Silver sacrificed his life for Kotone, it gave Typhlosion a whole new perspective.

Finally, he sighed heavily. Typhlosion stood up on his hind legs. Kotone was fairly surprised to see her starter rising before her.

And to add more to her suspicion, Typhlosion suddenly hugged her.

'As much as I hate to admit it, but he…loves you a lot. I can sense it in him. Feraligatr can sense it in him. Heck, all of us can sense it in both of you.' He tightened his hug. 'And I really don't want both of you to be separated.' The huge fire starter mewled.

Even though Kotone didn't understand a word he said, but the woman took it as his way of saying yes. Flashing a soft smile, she hugged her starter back.

* * *

Kotone entered her bedroom. Her eyes froze to a certain figure sleeping peacefully on her bed. His body was only covered with a red boxer, leaving his torso bare and open. Silver slept quietly. His back was against the comforter. His right arm was folded on his bare stomach while his left arm was spread on her side of the bed.

A small smile curved her pink lips. To her, he looked calm and peaceful when he slept; never the spite or snarky Silver that she always saw. But then again, those are one of the reasons why she fell for him.

Never bothering to take a shower and change, Kotone unsnapped her braids and went to bed. She slowly scooted to her side. On her knees and next to him, her eyes focused on the sleeping boy. Inhaling one long breath, Kotone let her fingers trace his face.

It moved to his forehead, pushing back a strand of red locks. It trailed down to the gap between his eyes, softly moving down to the tip of his perfectly sculptured nose. Hazel eyes focused on his closed silvers, looking at the eyelashes that were black and even. She then looked at his lips, which were slightly apart. Carefully, her long, slender fingers slid down to his lower lip.

It stayed there, feeling the flow of warm air caressing the inch of her skin.

Her gaze mellowed as she remembered a few hours ago. Her hand spun slightly, letting the back of her palm caress his cheek. Finally, as her mind snapped back to reality, she realized that her thumb was caressing the scar on his neck.

It felt cold to her touch. It gave her a chill down her spine, as if the scar was all it took to reminded her of what they had been through.

A frown curved her face. Kotone sighed heavily and laid her head on his arm. She hugged his waist, feeling his warmth sip into her petite form. Her legs wrapped around his left leg. Her nose nuzzled on his neck. "Sweet dreams…" She murmured faintly, words barely verbal in anybody's ears.

But as if Silver had heard her, he sleepily rolled to face her, and unconsciously pulled the girl closer. Kotone was stunned, but a soft smile stayed glued to her face. A dry chuckle bounced off her mouth as she closed her eyes, wishing the night – and moment – will never end.


	6. 5

Goldenrod was a happy, lively, bustling city in Johto. People and Pokémon were walking about. Laughter and happy smiles filled the scenery of the beautiful city. Kotone walked with White, arm in arm, giggling and talking about almost everything. Behind them were N and Silver. Comparing to the brunettes, they were walking almost three feet apart. The redhead's hands were inside his pockets while N was eating a cotton candy.

Finally, they stopped at the Goldenrod Department Store – much to Silver's dismay.

But it was a whole different story for N. "Oh wow! They have Pokémon dolls I have never seen before." He stood beside Kotone, eyes gleaming at the Shiny Lugia doll. N took the doll and showed it to White. "White, can I have it. Please!" Emerald eyes shined like a little kid, his lips pouting at the petite brunette.

White sighed heavily and nodded her head. "Fine, fine. You can have it. Just stop making that face!"

The tall dashing man jumped in joy, attracting some of the people's attention. Kotone bit back a giggle while Silver rolled his eyes in irk. She looked at the redhead. Flashing a coy smile, she skipped towards him. "So, does my little Skitty wants a Skitty?" The brunette gripped a Skitty doll and flailed it in front of his face.

Silver cursed under his throat and flicked her forehead.

"Oww!" Kotone shouted in pain and rubbed her swollen skin.

This time, it finally made him smile.

The young woman shot him a death glare. "You're mean."

Flashing a sly smirk and hands in his pockets, he bent his torso forward, until their foreheads touched against one another. Kotone was stunned, but didn't move away. Her lips were pressed together. Her heart was racing frantically. His breath caressed her flawless face. She could see his silver eyes piercing sharply into her soul.

"I can be meaner if you want…" He growled huskily, the edge of his lips curving and filled with such dirty motives.

For a moment, she swore her heart had stopped beating.

"I…" She muttered – or to be exact, croaked. "I'm gonna put this doll back now." Kotone pushed his body and walked away. His smirk was still planted on his face. The girl's face was red as a Magmar. The Skitty doll on her grasp trembled slightly. Silver chuckled dryly and ruffled his hair. _It's her fault for starting it first._ Grunting sourly, Silver walked to the cafeteria. The more he stood in the Pokédolls section, the more he felt like he was slowly losing his manhood.

Kotone mumbled and grumbled and even added a few curses along the way. "Stupid Silver, messing with me again…" She placed the doll back to its place. Her hazel eyes stared woefully at the smiling thing. Unwarily, her hand moved to her chest. It was still banging, vividly reminding her the closeness and warmth she received from him. Kotone shut her eyes and exhaled slowly. "Idiot…" Head downcast, she spun her heels and walked.

Due to her distracted mind, she bumped into a person.

"Oof!" Kotone groaned. She rubbed her swollen forehead – again. _My forehead is having a bad day…_ A second later, she snapped her eyes open, finally realizing that she bumped into someone. "Ah, I'm sor-"

She froze to see the tall man in front of her.

"Ah, it's okay." Proton said apologetically, hand scratching the back of his head. Without giving Kotone a moment to recover from her shock, he walked away.

Kotone was at lost for words. _It can't be…_ Her eyes weren't deceiving her. Her vision was crystal clear. She turned around, wanting to call out the person. But to her dismay, he had disappeared into the crowd. _There's no way…_

"Hey."

Her thoughts halted as a voice brought her back to reality. Kotone looked to her side. White was looking at her, curious and slightly worried. N stood behind the ponytailed brunette, his hands filled with bags – and they weren't White's.

"You okay, Cous? You look jittery." White stared at her red forehead. "And your forehead's red. Have you been bumping into things lately?"

Kotone managed a small gulp and nodded once. Even so, her heart and mind was getting messed up. She wasn't wrong. Although it had been three years, but the girl could vividly remember the Rocket's face.

Suddenly, her mind stopped on Silver. Kotone looked straight into White's aqua eyes. "Where's Silver?"

An eyebrow shot upwards to see her cousin's baffled face. "He's in the food court. Why- Hey Kotone!"

Without giving White a moment to finish, Kotone dashed to the escalator.

"Kotone!" White shouted, now in full concern. N stared in confusion. He looked at his girlfriend, who was beginning to give chase. "White! Wait up!"

* * *

Silver tapped the table in boredom. His eyes stared blankly at his empty plate. Sneasel munched on his burger. The sounds of the sharp claw's crunching were the only thing that occupied his eardrums.

_"I love you."_

Silver stopped. Her words jingled in his ears like a piercing melody. He huffed acidly, slamming his empty can. _What is wrong with me?_ Questions began knocking into his mind. _Why can't I say it? Why can't I say those three words? What? Am I afraid?_

Afraid.

That word disturbed him. Afraid. Fear. Lost. All three have one thing in common: His past. Silver shut his eyes with his palms. _I'm not afraid. I'm Silver dammit! I shouldn't be afraid of saying some words to the woman I love!_ He opened his eyes. All he can see was darkness, seeing that his hands were still covering his face. _But why are those words so fucking damn hard to spit out...?_

-Because you are afraid, you twit.-

He froze. Another sound – his own voice – came to his mind. But this voice was cold, much harsher, as if there was another side to him; as if that side was his own conscience.

_-You are afraid of saying 'I love you' coz you don't wanna lose her. And let's face it, all the people you said you love – all had died in the end-_

A sweat trickled down his forehead. His own voice – his own self – was spiting him; reminding him of all the faults and sorrow. Whether it was the truth or not, Silver shook his head. "No." He shut his eyes, teeth clenching hard.

And just as he denied, an image of himself formed in his darkened vision. Silver grimaced to see the image, for it was him – but his eyes were deep black. Pupils and irises were absent, leaving nothing but a coat of jet black colour. A devilish smirk curved on the image's lip. Tiny fangs slid out of his upper jaw, shining under the abyss nothingness.

_-You're afraid-_ The image snarled wickedly. _–And just like the rest, you will lose her.-_

"_No!_" Silver yelled angrily. He swiftly stood up, hands slamming the table hard. Sneasel dropped from his trainer's shoulder. The sharp claw Pokémon gawked at his trainer, who was now standing and panting. The whole café was eyes on the gasping redhead.

Silver gulped heavily, trying to set his emotions in check. He rubbed his throbbing forehead and closed his eyes. "I need to sleep more…I'm hallucinating…"

"Silver!"

The boy froze. Before he could look upfront, Kotone pounced on him with a tight hug. Silver flinched, almost stumbling backwards. But luckily for him, his stability saved the day. The redhead quickly held her shoulders and pulled Kotone away. His eyes were wide and glaring annoyingly. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

But his expression changed to see the worry and horror in her face. An eyebrow rose. His heartbeat raced. "Kotone?"

"Are you okay?" The brunette asked hysterically. Her hands pressed his chest, gripping the front of his jacket.

Shock was written in Silver's face. _Crap! Did she hear me scream?_ "I-I'm fine! I didn't scream or anything no I didn't!"

Kotone eyed him in confusion. "Scream?"

The tall boy blinked in stupor. A few seconds passed by and he soon realized that that wasn't the problem. "I didn't say anything."

Her confusion deepened at his behaviour. But Kotone quickly shook it off. "Anyways, Silver! We have a problem. I just-"

"Kotone!"

Both head turned to see White and N running after them. The tall brunette held her hips, tired after chasing after her cousin. She looked upfront. "Kotone, what is the matter with you? You were running off like you just saw a ghost."

"A ghost?" Silver asked dumbly. He looked at his girlfriend. "Did Gengar peek inside the women's fitting room again?"

Hazel eyes met silvers. Kotone shook her head, her pigtails whipping left and right. N appeared beside White. Confusion and bafflement were the only things occupying his mind. "White, what is going on?"

"Gengar peeked inside the women's fitting room?" White asked dumbfoundedly, slightly amused to Silver's topic.

"Yes that one time-" Suddenly, Kotone stopped. She shook her head again, this time stomping her feet as an addition. "No that's not the point!" The girl gripped the collar of the redhead's jacket. Her eyes were round, fully focused on her confused and slightly irritated boyfriend. "It's-"

"Good day to all the people in Goldenrod!"

All four teens halted completely. Their heads turned to the giant television screen positioned in the middle of the cafeteria.

Both Kotone and Silver could feel their blood turn icy cold.

For the person on the huge screen was none other than Archer.

"No." Both of them muttered the same word in unison.

The Rocket Executive grinned playfully, as if his presence was something to be happy about. "Ah, it's refreshing to know that the radio tower doesn't just control the radio, but now it has its own channel! Ah how I miss being in Johto."

White and N were shocked too, but slightly baffled. The tall brunette looked at Kotone, who seemed stunned as a rock. "Who's that?" she asked, shaking her cousin's arm.

But Kotone didn't respond. As if she was too entranced by the man in the screen. Her face turned into a scornful look. He eyes were still round as plates, not believing the sight she was seeing. White looked at the young redhead.

If a stranger could see Silver right now, they would freak out.

Silver looked angry, enraged, furious, savage – all kinds of anger and demise all mixed into one. His hands were fisted and trembling. His teeth were tightly clenching. His eyes were narrowed, glaring deadly at the blue-haired image.

White gulped. Slowly, she took a few steps backwards. Sensing the fear, N held her shoulders. "White, what's going on?"

She didn't respond. Neither did the other two. N looked at the huge screen. The bluenette was still smirking.

"So," Archer said, his fingers tapping one another. "If a few of you haven't known, I am Archer, one of the finest Rocket Executive."

The mall got silent. Apparently, all the televisions in Goldenrod were now showing his face, no matter what channel they switched on.

Archer chuckled amusingly. Opening his eyes, revealing a pair of sneaky teals, he said in a very clear and sure tone, "In other words, I am a part of Team Rocket."

The second those words slipped through his mouth, the whole mall went berserk.

Gasp. Screams of terror. Even frantic crying were echoing inside the huge department store. Everyone in the mall began running and clearing out. Judging by what White saw, she guessed Team Rocket wasn't favoured by many.

"What…"

She looked at the Johto couple. Silver was blatantly shaking, obviously showing his rage. He took Kotone's hands and pushed her away. The young man moved – or to be exact, stomped – towards the huge screen. "_What are you doing here?!_"

His voice was enough to shake the glass nearby. White was getting more and more anxious. Silver was acting deranged, even for him.

Apparently, the screen wasn't a communicator, so Archer was oblivious to the redhead's savage fury. "So, good news for everyone. Team Rocket is back. Yayy!" The bluenette clapped his hands joyfully. Sounds of Petrel's and Proton's cheering echoed from the back. But his smile soon evaporated, changed into a more serious expression. "And you have no idea how much we miss all of you." His eyes glared at the screen, as if he was looking into everyone's eyes.

And Kotone's skin prickled terribly as Archer whispered, "And we especially miss our little Kotone…"

Emerald and aqua eyes focused their attention on the frozen brunette. They both exchanged glances, looking at the girl, then at the screen, then back at the still quiet girl.

Kotone could hardly breathe right. _How could this be…?_ Her hands trembled. Sweat trickled down her neck and forehead. That was actually Acrher's voice. And he was actually back – and bringing Team Rocket back alive. She blinked once, twice, and suddenly, the image of Giovanni danced in her mind. _But he's gone! They couldn't possibly…_

"Let's make a reunion, huh Kotone?" The executive's voice slapped her back to reality. Kotone shot her head upwards, gawking at the chuckling Rocket. Archer clasped his hands together, propping his chin as he spoke. "How about you meet us at the top of the radio tower? It'll be just like old times." The man flashed a happy smile. Before he disconnected the signal, Archer slyly purred, "We'll be waiting…"

Finally, the screen had gone blank. The café was slightly empty. Gasps and panic whispers swirled inside the food court. N pursed his lips. He was beginning to feel a horrible vibe about the man in the channel.

'White!'

'N!'

'Silver!'

He and White turned around. All their Pokémon were frantically running towards them. Her team and his Zoroark breathed a sigh of relief to see their beloved trainers were fine. But Kotone's and Silver's were more than relieve. Feraligatr quickly dashed towards his trainer, whose eyes were still on the blank screen.

'Kotone!'

A loud bark filled the pigtailed brunette's eardrums. She looked as her fire starter stopped and panted in front of her. His eyes locked with Kotone, telling her all that she had already knew. 'We're in trouble.'

The girl's eyes shined in utter sorrow and fear. "I think we're in trouble…"

"Back off!"

The scream took their attention. Three trainers and their Pokémon focused their glanced on Silver, who was screaming frantically and flailing his arms as his Pokémon were trying to come near him.

"Hey!" N shouted. "Don't be rude to your-"

"_You shut the fuck up!_" Silver's voice was getting louder, shrieking even. He glared at N – at all of them. His eyes were wide, filled with manic rage. The green-haired teen gulped heavily and stood behind White. The look he gave him. The wicked gaze he bestowed. It reminded N of the man he solely loathed.

The redhead was out of his mind. He shook his head, his fists clutching his red locks. "This can't be happening…" he muttered the word a few times, like a chant. "This stupid thing can't be happening." Without another thought, Silver ran off and dashed towards the radio tower.

Just as she saw him disappear out of her sight, the memory of last year haunted Kotone's mind. "Silver wait no!" With swift fingers, she returned all her Pokémon and gave chase. Still stunned and completely baffled about the situation, White and N followed soon after.

As she ran, Kotone could only think of one thing: _Silver, please be careful…_


	7. 6

Archer stood by the glass wall, his hands folded behind his back. Houndoom stood valiantly by his trainer's side. All of them were waiting for their 'guest' to arrive. Petrel and Proton leaned against the wall, near the door. Their Pokémon were loyally behind them, in their defence position.

Ariana sat on a chair, checking her nails. Her Arbok purred lovingly as her free hand petted the cobra Pokémon's head. The redheaded woman stared at her comrade. "You really think Kotone will come?"

Without a glance, Archer replied, "I don't think. I _know_." His eyes stared out in the open sky. "This plan is foolproof. And mark my words: It will finally end the way as it should be."

Five seconds after he said that, the door burst open. It crashed to the thick glass, almost a foot away from where Archer was standing. Even so, his composure was still and calm.

The other three, however, weren't as calm as the bluenette. All eyes were on the door. Shock sipped into them to see a Feraligatr growling maniacally.

Their surprise tenfold to see a certain redhead – one they never thought would see again – walking and standing before them.

His eyes were flaring. His fists were trembling. His nails dug deep into his palm. Hate and despise painted Silver's face. And the minute he stood there – right in front of the people that were once in his life – his mind seemed blank like a piece of paper.

But instead of being completely blank, rage took over, blinding him completely.

"You…?" Petrel said, his thoughts trying to adjust his memory. He had seen that boy somewhere.

Proton blinked dumbly. _Wait a minute, isn't he…?_

Ariana was sharper than the two. "You!" she gasped out loud. Her feet stumbled backwards. Luckily, Arbok held her trainer's back. Both Proton and Petrel looked at the female redhead. Ariana was clearly shocked – and that wasn't a good thing.

Before they could ask anything, Archer spun his heels. A wide, nasty smile curved at the edge of his lips. "Well hello there, Silver."

"_What?!_" Petrel and Proton shouted in unison. Their eyes now fully focused on the shaking boy. They weren't deaf. Archer said it loud and clear. And judging by Ariana's reaction, the evidence was thickening.

Silver gritted his teeth. "You…" Growls were more vivid in their ears as Silver spoke. "The hell are you fuckers doing back…?"

"Now now Silver," Archer walked a few steps forward. "We only wanted to have a little sightseeing in Johto. It's been a while. Besides," He gazed into the boy's silver eyes. "We miss the little Silver we once care and protected."

"Shut up!" Silver yelled madly. His team of six crouched by his sides, eyes on their enemy. The words the Executive spat out were like acidic poison. "I am _not_ some little Silver! I do _not_ know you! And you bastards do_not_ exist in my life!"

All but Archer posed a stunned and slightly disheartened expression. The blue-haired Executive laughed amusingly. His arms crossed against his chest. "Oh, and I suggest Kotone exist in your life?"

The redhead froze to hear her name.

Archer smirked deviously. "Ah right. Ever since you left, you've been hanging with that Kotone girl. How's it working for you two?" He tapped his chin, eyes gleaming with sarcasm and spite. "Such a sweet girl. Such a sweet, sweet precious angel." His smirk evolved into a wide, maniacal smile. "Too bad she holds the sole reason why you're miserable-"

Silver had had enough. "_Shut up!_" He wailed, voice cracking and echoing viciously. Sensing the rage in their trainer, Silver's Pokémon plummeted towards his enemy.

Arbok, Crobat, Weezing, and Houndoom rocketed forward, each launching their attacks.

Dust and bits of wood flew around the spacious room. The Pokémon battled. Their claws dug and scratched each other's skins. Their angry roars and battle cries echoed inside the room.

"Destroy them." Silver snarled acidly, eyes on the smirking Archer. "_Destroy them all!_"

Feraligatr launched towards the bluenette. His jaw was wide open, ready to snap the human's neck like a twig.

Archer sneered evilly. An amused chuckle bounced off his lips. In a blink of an eye, Houndoom appeared in front of his trainer and released Dark Pulse. The attack threw the big jaw off guard and sent Feraligatr flying to a wall. Cries of pain burst through his mouth. The water starter groaned in agony, feeling something sticky on his back.

"What the fuck are you doing?! Kill them you stupid Pokémon!"

Feraligatr froze to hear such words from his trainer. He gawked at the human boy. He wasn't mistaken. Silver was glaring at him. His teeth were clenched, his jaw tightening from the violent pressure.

"Kill them or _I will kill you!_"

His words were like daggers stabbing into his very heart. Feraligatr whimpered woefully. His trainer had gone mad with rage. It was as if he had reverted back to his original self; turning back into the person only filled with vengeance and deceit.

Silver eyes widened as it could possibly get. "Worthless Pokémon!" He focused his attention on the other five. "Destroy them all!"

The huge water starter wanted to cry. His eyes simmered with faint tears. 'Dude's just stressed out.' Feraligatr assured himself. He stood up, his legs wobbling and still in pain from the impact. Suddenly, a loud shriek burst his eardrums. The big jaw Pokémon looked upfront, shocked to see Arbok was rocketing right towards him, her poisonous jaws wide opened for the kill.

Feraligatr was too stunned to move. He quickly crouched down, bracing for impact and silently praying. 'Silver!'

'Stay the fuck away from my best friend!'

His eyes snapped open. In seconds, he felt heat from above. Feraligatr looked forward. He was extremely relieved to see Typhlosion was crouching in front of him. The fire starter peeked behind, worried to see blood oozing out of the big jaw's shoulder. 'Dude, you okay?'

Feraligatr nodded weakly, and still able to flash a small grin. 'I'm fine. Thanks for saving my tail, man.'

Typhlosion huffed arrogantly and smiled. 'Anything for my bro, bro.'

The four Rockets and their Pokémon moved backwards. Not only Kotone's, but some of White's and N's Pokémon were also out, defending their trainers. The Pokémon's lips twitched upwards, snarling and growling madly at their enemy.

Kotone stood in front of Silver, defending the deranged boy. Her eyes glared deadly into the Rockets' eyes. Or to be more specific, she was glaring at Archer.

"Well well well, it seems we have some uninvited guest." Archer said nonchalantly. He was silently surprised and impressed at the new Pokémon he saw. "I didn't know you had friends, Silver."

The boy grimaced to hear his name from the man's mouth.

Kotone growled bitterly. "Why are you back?" She asked in a harsh tone. "Don't tell me you're planning to take over the radio tower again? Coz if you are, that's just plain stupid."

Archer grinned without an answer. His teal eyes silently scanned around, looking for a certain Pokémon. Unluckily, that creature was nowhere to be found. All of Kotone's Pokémon were out of their balls – except for one.

He looked at her belt. There it was; the Level Ball. "Actually, that plan never crossed our minds since we got here." His eyes moved to her face. Her lips were pressed into a tight line. Her eyebrows were scrunched downwards, eyes ablaze in anger at him.

White stood beside her cousin. "So you guys are Team Rocket?"

The Rocket's heads turned to face White. Her expression was a resemblance to Kotone. Only her features were slightly mature than the pigtails. "Who the hell are you?" Proton asked spitefully.

White snorted rudely. "I'm Kotone's cousin from Unova. I'm also the Champion of that region. So since you mess with my family, you're gonna get your ass kicked by me."

"Team Rocket, the organization that uses Pokémon as tools."

This time, their heads faced the sound of another voice: N's. The green-haired teen stood by his Zoroark. His fists trembled in complete hatred. N looked at the four Rockets, his gaze cold and filled with disgust. "I've heard about you. You filthy monsters sicken me," he snarled acidly. Zoroark crouched forward, giving off the same growl as his human friend.

Ariana's eyes were wide in shock. "You take that back you insolent child!" It had been five minutes that they met the new trainers, and she already hated them.

Archer chuckled dryly. _It looks like we've made new enemies._ Without a glance at the young trainers, he said, "Tell me Silver, who does it feel to betray your own family?"

White, N, Kotone, and the Pokémon froze to hear such words. The redhead's knees felt weak. His head stayed downcast. He let the words flow in his ears, like small pins slowly piercing into every inch of his fragile skin.

"Family?" Both White and N asked in unison, clearly dumfounded.

Kotone bit the insides of her lips. She gulped heavily. Obviously, they knew who Silver was.

The Executive clasped his hands together behind his back. "And to think, when Team Rocket was slowly crumbling down, you disappeared. You had us worried, little Silver. Shame on you for bailing on us when we needed you the most."

Kotone felt her shoulders being tightly gripped. His shaking was so intense, it shook her. His head slumped on her back. Her ears caught faint sounds of growls and curses. The addition of Archer's laughter didn't help at all.

"I mean, what would your father think-"

"Shut up!" Kotone yelled ruthlessly. The second she heard the word 'father', she had had enough. They had gone too far. "You don't know anything about what he has gone through! You used him! He was in a lot of pain back then! And all you people care about is using people and Pokémon!"

White and N were baffled at what they heard. They stared at Silver, who looked frail and was about to fall apart. The Silver they saw yesterday was gone; vanished, compared to the young man gripping on Kotone's shoulders.

A loud guffaw burst the shattered room. Kotone flinched at the sudden sound. They snapped their attention towards the laughing bluenette.

"And you are telling me that you know everything about him?"

A sharp cold flowed through her veins. Clenching madly, she growled, "O-of course I do!"

"Oh child, you are stuttering." Archer flashed a lazy smirk. "Stuttering means that you don't completely know about the poor boy." He tapped his chin. Soon, Kotone realized that not only Archer, but Ariana, Petrel, and Proton were also flashing wicked smiles.

"You're saying that we used him, causing him pain and whatnot." His eyes were now sharp and focused on the wide hazels as he spat, "But you are completely ignorant to the fact that it is _you_ that is causing him continuous grief."

Her heart dropped to hear his accusation. His heart shattered into tiny, dusty pieces. Kotone clenched her hands, nails digging at her palms. "Wha- Are you crazy?! I will never do anything to hurt him!"

A blue eyebrow shot upwards. "Oh really?" Archer asked playfully. Without a word, he snapped his fingers.

With a smirk and a small device in his hand, Proton pressed a big red button.

Before anyone could blink, the tower rumbled violently – and exploded.

The trainers dropped to their knees. Black, poisonous smoke swayed in the room. "Gengar! Please remove this smoke!" Kotone commanded Silver's Pokémon, hands cupping her mouth.

"You two, Banette!" White ordered her marionette.

The two ghost type nodded and sucked in all the acidic gas. As soon as vision came to them, they gasped to see that Team Rocket was gone.

But eventually, that wasn't the worst part.

What's worst was the tower was crumbling down – falling to the thousands of people below.

"The tower is going to crush the citizens!" N screamed, gripping on Zoroark.

White kneeled down, her hands pressing against the shattered tiles. "We have to call out Reshiram and Zek-"

"No!" Kotone denied loudly. "This pillar is too huge, it might hurt them!" She flinched as she felt herself being pulled into a tight hug. The brunette pushed slightly, shocked to see Silver was gripping her tightly. "Sil…Silver…?"

Silver eyes opened, staring deeply into a pair of hazel eyes. "I won't let you die."

Her skin could feel jolts as the words breathed out of his mouth. Pursing a broken smile, she muttered, "And I won't let you suffer again." Swiftly, Kotone pushed Silver from his grasp and stood up. She tried to move towards the shattered glass wall. The pressure was intensifying to a max as gravity was pulling them harder.

"Kotone!" White, N, and especially Silver shouted in panic as the girl walked closer to the opening. Hands shaking, she gripped the Level Ball.

"Mewtwo! Save us!" The brunette tossed the ball out in the open sky. A bright red light flashed before their eyes, blinding them. Kotone fell to her knees, a loud scream burst from her mouth.

* * *

Quiet.

Silence.

Dust and rubble were the only things she felt. Her eyes snapped open. Shocked and stunned were the words right for her. She looked around. The crumbled pillar had reached the ground. But she didn't feel any impact of the fall, nor did she actually _die_ from it. Suddenly, her mind clicked on the others. Kotone stood up. A huge wave of relief washed over her to see the Pokémon and the other three were okay.

_Kotone, are you okay?_

She turned around. Mewtwo stood in front of her, face full of panic and concern. A small smile curved her lips. Her eyes moved around. People were crowding around them. Gasps, loud mutters, even humans calling 911 were ringing in her ears. Kotone sighed bitterly, releasing a few of her distress. "I'm fine. Thanks for creating a dome to save us."

The genetic Pokémon smiled. _You were lucky I was able to create it in time. What were you thinking not calling me out when you were against the bad-_

"Finally, the prey has shown himself."

A voice took them by surprise. Before Mewtwo could turn around, he felt something – a collar – wrapped around his neck. _H-hey! What the-!_

In a blink of an eye, a huge zap jolted his whole body.

"_GAHHHHHH!_" the genetic Pokémon shrieked in utter agony. The jolt was excruciating. The bright explosion threw Kotone backwards, her back slamming against the piles of rubble.

She quickly fumbled back to her feet. Her eyes widened in aghast to see Mewtwo was being lifted up in the air, screaming and clutching the metallic collar on his neck. The light was still surrounding him as zaps pierced into his every skin. "Mewtwo!"

Archer grinned wickedly. He walked slowly towards them. In his hand was a square, metallic device. "I was beginning to lose my patience, you know." He looked at the screaming legendary. "Who knew you had this little tyrant all along?"

Kotone was terrified beyond words. "What are you doing to him?! Let him go!" She stood up, but the blinding light was preventing her from moving forward. The shrieks awoke Silver and the others. The redhead was greatly baffled to see a Pokémon screaming up in the air. His eyes wandered, finding the brunette.

"Kotone!" Silver shouted in fear. He quickly hopped to his feet and dashed towards her.

Another explosion occurred from Mewtwo. It threw Kotone backwards once again. This time, Silver caught her with open arms. The two fell to the ground. A loud, painful groan escaped his mouth as the petite trainer slammed on his chest.

"Mewtwo!" Kotone – completely distracted on the genetic Pokémon – fumbled back to her feet and tried to run for him.

"Kotone! No!" Silver swiftly gripped the girl's waist. She struggled and flailed madly, teary eyes at her beloved Pokémon. The redhead glared at the snickering Executive. "What the fuck have you done?"

Archer didn't reply, for only a sinister smile painted his face.

Finally, Mewtwo stopped screaming. The explosions and bright lights had disappeared. The genetic landed on the ground. His head was downcast. His arms were stayed by his sides.

"Mewtwo!" Kotone cried again, calling out for him.

Archer stood beside the purple legendary. "Meet the new member of Team Rocket."

Without a word, Mewtwo looked upfront.

Once silver eyes met his, Silver couldn't breathe at all.

The genetic Pokémon's eyes were blank. His pupils and irises were gone. Just a bright purple glow gleamed in his soulless eyes. His emotions were absent. His lips were formed into a straight line. His fists were balled tightly.

It was as if the boy's worst nightmare had come back from the dead.

Out of reflex, Silver released his grip and frantically scooted backwards. His body shook in utmost terror. Kotone stood up. Confusion, panic, bafflement, and worry jumbled her as she switched glances between Mewtwo and Silver. The redhead looked horrified. No. He looked traumatized. Sweat was dripping from his forehead. His teeth were chattering. His hands kept slipping as he scooted faster. His eyes widened as if he just saw a ghost.

Silver looked more than terrified. He looked like a broken, demented child.

"Silver…?" She said carefully, tears still forming in her eyes. But Silver didn't respond. His eyes, his focus – everything – was directly on Mewtwo.

"N-no…" She heard faint, croaked whispers from him. "N-no…"

"Silver...?" The brunette slowly walked towards him.

But in the redhead's eyes, he saw a demon – so monstrous and bloody red – charging towards him. "_Stay away from me!_" He screamed violently. Silver clutched his red locks and pulled his head to his knees. "_Don't come near me!_"

Kotone froze in her steps. Her beloved rival was trembling and cowering like a little child. "Silver-"

Suddenly, a huge cackle burst through the skies.

"Yes! Silver actually remembers! This is a fun reunion!"

The brunette spun her heels towards the laughing Rocket. She gritted her teeth. Her bloody palm was scraped as her nails dug deeper. "What have you done?!" She looked at Mewtwo. "Mewtwo, stop him!"

But to her horrific dismay, the Pokémon didn't respond a peep.

"Mewtwo?" She called out again. But the result was the name; Mewtwo ignored her. "Mewtwo! Snap out of it!" Her body unwarily dashed towards them.

But to her dumbstricken surprise, the genetic Pokémon released Psycho Cut on her.

Hazel eyes were wide like saucers as the sharp beam rocketed towards her. Her body was numb as ice. Her mind was completely blank and dumfounded. _Mew…two…?_

'Kotone!'

Typhlosion swiftly rocketed towards Kotone and pushed her out of the way. The two were able to save themselves – seconds before the piercing beam could cut them in half.

Kotone gasped in pain as she crashed to the ground. Her starter was crouching under her, blazing eyes glaring at the genetic Pokémon. 'Dude what the fuck?!'

But Mewtwo stared blankly at the volcano Pokémon. Archer flashed a white wicked grin. His eyes stared as White and N dashed towards the fallen brunette. He then looked at Silver – who was shaking and rolled up like crumpled paper. A chuckle wheezed through his lips. "If you ever want Mewtwo back, you might as well come to Cinnabar Island." With a snap of his fingers, Mewtwo glowed into a bright purple. The two began to fade away, disappearing from the chaotic mess.

Seconds before they could completely vanish into thin air, Archer focused his attention on the redhead. With a loud, stern, and a dash of manic cackle, the Executive said, "I'm pretty sure you can't wait to come back home, huh young Wolfe?"

And just like that, reality blacked out on Silver.


	8. 7

It was a quiet night in the desert plains of Old Cinnabar. The volcano stood valiantly but frailly. A few boulders rolled down once in a while. Some Pidgeys flew about, making the empty hill their home.

Hidden right under the dead volcano was a secret laboratory. The scene looked just as horrible as the ground above. Shattered glass was everywhere. Crumbled walls were vivid. Rattatas were running about, entering their holes. Sadly, without warning, Proton's Golbat zoomed at one of the rat Pokémon, gnawing the creature as his lunch. Proton, on the other hand, was sitting with Petrel, playing poker with some poker cards they stole.

Archer sat quietly, his eyes on the stoic Mewtwo. The genetic Pokémon's head was downcast. He stood here, motionless like a statue. A smile curved up the human's lip. His hand petted Houndoom's head. The dark Pokémon purred lovingly, enjoying his caress.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Archer stopped. His head turned to the side, while is body was still facing Mewtwo. He peeked at Ariana, who was standing behind him. "What do you mean?"

The female executive huffed bitterly. "Why didn't you tell us that Silver is still alive?" Her heart churned at the thought of the child. She gritted her teeth, her mouth tightly sealed.

A low chuckle wheezed through the man's lips. Archer kept his posture. He placed his elbow on the table, fingers silently tapping his cheek. "It was a lucky guess. I was researching about Kotone a few years back. And I found out two interesting things." He flashed two of his right fingers. "One, she has Mewtwo. And two, she has a boyfriend." Archer snorted nastily. "Even though I despise prying into the second topic since it's such a useless matter, I figured that since it's the enemy we're dealing with, I might as well look into it."

Archer stared at Mewtwo. His eyes were glowing a bright purple. All sorts of emotion were gone from his face. He was empty like a hollow shell; like a mindless slave only existing to serve its master. The blue-haired executive smirked. "And I did not regret looking into it one bit. Think of it as a bonus." He clapped his hands and laughed. "It's like killing two Pidgeys with one stone!"

Ariana flinched to hear his laughter. Her fists slowly clenched into balls. "But why didn't you tell us we were going to deal with Silver?" Her feet stomped a few steps forward. "Why didn't you tell us that the boss's son is still alive?!"

_Slam!_

Suddenly, Archer stood up, spun around, and slammed his fist on the table. The three executives were stunned to see such a reaction from his current leader. Ariana gulped silently as Archer's face was positioned very closely to her face.

"So what will you do if I told you?" He spat acidly. The tone of his voice was hoarse and filled with malice. The redheaded woman could only manage to freeze still. Archer leaned an inch forward. "It will change nothing, Ariana. That boy sees us as his enemy; as an invisible entity in his life. We mean nothing to him. We _don't_ exist in his life anymore. We are just his horrible memory he wishes to destroy."

She could feel her heart break like the shattered beakers. Ariana looked down, cursing to feel tears forming in her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, Archer was right. They meant nothing to Silver anymore. They were just his bad past, waiting to be vanquished by him. A low growl vibrated in the room. Arbok slithered towards her trainer and stood tall behind the redhead, deadly eyes threatening Archer. Sensing that his trainer was in danger, Houndoom crouched beside the blunette and growled at Arbok.

Archer and Ariana stood quietly as their Pokémon gave out deep deadly snarls. Proton and Petrel were standing not far, eyes shining in panic and ready to calm the situation down if it got worse.

"He was our boss's son…" Archer heard her mutter quietly. "Right after…right after that night, we almost lost everything. But that child…" Her nails dug into her palms. "He lost everything. And it was our job to defend the child, to protect it like it was our own. Our boss entrusted us with him, but in the end, we lost him too…"

A good minute of silence filled the dusty room. Finally, Archer burst a dry chuckle. He took a few steps backwards. Hands hidden inside his pockets, he shook his head. "You care too much for the little one." But truth be told, deep inside of him, he too was shocked when he found out Silver was alive. All kinds of emotions run into him. Looking at Mewtwo, Archer huffed sourly. "But he's not the Silver we know anymore. We're criminals in his eyes. And we will always be." The man looked at Ariana, whose face was still facing the floor. "Besides, we were never a family to start with."

Ariana shut her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down. His words were like oozing poison, slowly sipping into her heart.

"Ooookay," Petrel interfered before it got any uglier. "Lighter note. I have a question though. Where did you get that collar on the Pokémon's neck?"

Archer looked at Petrel. His smile slowly increasing as he answered, "Well, ever since our boss created Mewtwo, he also created a collar." He took the small metal device on the table. "This machine will let us control the Pokémon as long as he wears the collar. Our boss created it just in case…the Pokémon had a mind of its own." He peeked at the empty-stricken legendary. "And it turns out it did."

Proton stood in front of Mewtwo. He waved his hand in front of the being's face. His fingers were snapped a few times, trying to catch Mewtwo's attention. But as usual, the Pokémon stood still, completely unaffected by the annoying taunt he was given.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to put the collar once the Pokémon escaped and the whole mansion and laboratory exploded." Archer twirled the device in his hands. "Fortunately, the device was sealed inside an explosion-proof glass. Even the lavas of Cinnabar weren't able to melt it. So that's good news for us."

Petrel nodded in amusement. He held his hips, impressed with the explanation. "Sweet."

"So what's your next plan?" Proton asked, still making funny faces at the silent legendary. Golbat snickered by his trainer's side and joined him in a game of taunts.

Archer chuckled. "Well, for starters." He pressed the red button. Suddenly, Mewtwo opened his eyes, giving off a blind glow. Proton flinched in shock. Before he could give time to recover, he felt his neck being choked and his body being lifted. The hypnotized Pokémon threw the youngest executive until Proton slammed into a bunch of dusty boxes. Petrel and Ariana gawked in bafflement while Archer laughed in joy.

"Hoi!" Proton quickly stumbled back to his feet. His eyes glared madly at his cackling comrade. "What the fuck was that for?!"

"That's for disturbing the thing. Don't act like a child, you fool." Archer crossed his arms, lips curving into an evil smirk. Proton growled bitterly as Golbat pulled his trainer out of the pile.

"Besides," Archer looked at Ariana. "We will get back what we want. All we need is patience, and all is back to the way it was."

* * *

Darkness.

Emptiness.

Coldness.

The little one stood quietly, his hands hugging a torn doll. He looked upfront. There was nothing there. Only blackness filled his vision. Not a hint of life or death was given as the child stood silently in fear.

Suddenly, he saw a glow. A bright purple glow.

Unwarily, the child walked closer. Curiosity mixed with fear was increasing as he moved. "Mama…?"

The light was getting brighter; blinding him. The child grimaced and shielded his eyes. The light expanded, replacing the whole abyss with purple shades.

_Screeeeccchhhh!_

His whole skin tingled up to the back of his neck. The child snapped his eyes open. His curiosity had been completely erased. As only fear, dumbstruck, and terror slammed into him all at once.

Fire was surrounding him.

He was trapped.

"Mama!" the child screamed out loud. He hugged his doll, hiding his face. Tears formed in his eyes. Sobs and wails began to vibrate from his chest and mouth. "Mama!"

Suddenly, the light glowed again. The boy slowly looked upfront, eyes red and puffy. The second his vision was clear, the youngling could not breathe at all.

For not just fire was present in his vision, but a shadow. A figure so dark and huge. It floated above the child. His eyes were a bright, manic purple. The small one could not interpret the figure right. He had seen that figure before, but a ten year old's brain could only think so much.

"M-ma…" His trembling mouth opened, wanting to scream, to shout for his mother – anything. It moved closer, eyes fixed on the human boy. The boy cowered in horror and scooted backwards, closer to the raging fire.

Finally, it stopped. His iris-less eyes were shining horrifyingly. Without a word neither a sound, its hand reached for the boy. A bright purple ball formed on its palm, ready to release the blinding attack at its target.

The boy was dumbstricken to the bone. Opening his mouth and plucking all the courage and will that he had, the boy shrieked, "_MAMA!_"

The purple beam zoomed right at him.

* * *

Silver snapped his eyes open. His torso shot upwards, his mouth wailing a short but sharp gasp. "No no no!" He flailed madly, as if shielding himself from some attack. A few seconds later, Silver felt nothing. Dumbfounded, the boy looked around. There was no fire. No darkness. No bright beam that could kill him.

And especially none of that mysterious dark figure.

He was in a room, on a bed; Kotone's bed. Silver clutched his red hair. A long groan escaped his mouth as a headache slammed into him. _What happened…? Why am I in bed…? Why-_

Suddenly, he came to his senses.

His mind clicked to the event of a few hours back.

Silver remembered Kotone, dancing around with a Skitty doll in front of him. He remembered teasing the girl until she turned bright red. He remembered sitting in the cafeteria, feeling anxious and aware. He remembered having a war with himself.

He vividly remembered what his conscious had told him.

The redhead shuddered unpleasantly. He shut his eyes, trying to adjust his thoughts. Finally, everything was slowly coming back. He remembered seeing a man – someone he solely hated – on television. The second Silver saw him, his life flashed before his eyes. The man smiled and cackled, giving him memories he swore he would never go back.

Everything was coming back to him.

Silver saw those eyes; the same eyes in his dream. It was more vivid and clear. And worse, it was recent, something he saw just a few hours back. Silver wasn't wrong. His eyes were completely right; those were the same eyes that haunted him nine years ago.

His shuddering got more violent. His teeth chattered like he was sitting inside a freezer. His nails sank in his scalp. He quickly snapped his eyes open as images of the purple eyes shined in his vision. Silver cupped his mouth, holding back the need to throw up as his stomach curled uncomfortably.

The more he thought about it, the more fear was slowly rising up to him again. Out of reflex, Silver jumped out of bed and dashed to the door.


	9. 8

Kotone ran left and right. Her hand was ruffling her messy brown hair. Her eyes were red and wide. Her mouth was opened, frantically crying out, "What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Oh my Arceus what am I going to do?"

White and N sat on the couch, eyes moving at the brunette's pace. "Kotone," White said, her tone filled with worry. "Calm down."

"Calm down?!" Kotone yelled unwarily. She stopped, round eyes gawking at her cousin. "My Pokémon just got kidnapped and it's as if he's brainwashed _and_ he almost sliced me like I'm Swiss cheese! To make matters worse, Silver acted totally berserk and passed out! And you expect me to calm down?!"

White raised her hands in defence. She stood up. "Okay, so calming down might be a horrible idea. But you need to chill. Panicking and walking left and right isn't gonna help anybody."

The pigtailed brunette frowned in sorrow. She let out a few long sighs. Her hand cupped her mouth. Typhlosion mewled softly, nudging his head on the girl's waist. He too was worried for the genetic Pokémon's being. Never did the two – or the others – have thought things would get this ugly.

White slowly walked towards her. "Kotone, just take deep breaths and think for a second. You need a plan to work all this out. And for that to happen, you need to relax your mind."

Kotone stared at White. She sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead. "I guess so…"

"May I ask?"

The girls turned to look at N, who was standing behind White. The young man's gaze was fixated on Kotone. The petite Johto champion gulped silently. "Yes N?"

"When that man back at the tower, when he said about Silver betraying his family, I can't help but think, is he related to that organization?"

Kotone could feel her body froze in stupor. Hazel eyes were sharp on a pair of emeralds. N was giving a calming expression, patiently waiting for his answer. "I…" Her mouth was opened, but her mind couldn't function well with the right words. She looked down, her hands balled into fists. "Why do you want to know?"

N walked a few steps forward. Finally, he stood beside White. "Because I am curious. Sorry to butt out-"

"Butt in, N." White corrected him.

The grenette looked at his girlfriend. "Really?"

Pursing her lips into a tight line, she nodded.

N then focused his attention back at Kotone. "Sorry to butt in, but if Silver really is related to that organization, I…well, maybe I can help him." The young man took one sharp breath as he remembered his own family ties. "I know what it's like to be involved in something you hated, especially if it runs in your blood until the end of time."

White froze to hear such words from N. She stared at him, her lips now curved downwards. "Dude, I-"

N cut her off. "And I don't want him to make the same mistake I did."

Chills ran down White's spine. Her memory served her thoughts, making her heart ache in despair. The brief image of blood flashed before her eyes. White could feel her heartbeat stop, her eyes slightly watery. She shook her head and tugged the boy's sleeve. The taller brunette sighed bitterly and looked at Kotone. A broken smile painted her face. She held her shoulder, gripping it lightly. "Just so you know, I'm always here for you. We're family. And family stick together."

Kotone was confused. The two looked sad, as if reminiscing a bad memory. She bit her lower lip. Should she tell them? Should she be open about his background? Does she have the will to open her mouth and tell what they have sworn never to remember?

Finally, after what seemed like time had stopped, Kotone replied, "He's not technically blood-related to those people back there. But Silver…he has ties with Team Rocket. He…"

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Kotone jumped and immediately turned around. Relief and pure happiness washed over her to see Silver standing near her bedroom door. "Silver!" Her mind had completely forgotten about her telling them about Silver's past. All she could see, all she could think of now, was the young man leaning against the door. Her feet dashed towards him. In seconds, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Silver! Thank Arceus you're okay!" Cries of joy burst from her mouth. Kotone placed her head on his chest, mouth wording her gratitude.

But her joyful moment disappeared in minutes as Silver held her shoulders.

And pushed her away.

The brunette was baffled. Her eyes were wide. "Sil-" She stopped halfway as he looked upfront. Silver was anything but fine. His silver irises were shining in rage. His eyes were just as round as hers, only in spite. His teeth were clenched madly, slowly grinding like sandpaper.

For the first time in their relationship, Kotone was scared. "Silv-"

"Why." Silver said bluntly, voice filled with anger. "Why didn't you tell me you had that thing with you all this time?!"

The Pokémon and the three human beings were stunned to hear his loud tone and his question. The brunette's foot scooted a step, her hand reaching out to touch him. "What do you m-"

"You know what I mean?!" Silver roughly swatted her hand away. Kotone yelped in slight pain. Like lightning, Typhlosion crouched between the two teens. A deep, threatening growl vibrated through his clenched fangs.

On normal occasions, Silver would be horrified. But rage and past pain were making him oblivious. "All this time. All my life, I thought that you were my hope. You made me think that everything is good in this Arceus damn world. I actually thought that you could actually bring me one shit of happiness." He chuckled acidly, as if mocking the words he just said. "But then, all this while, you actually had the _purpose_ of my despair right on your fucking belt! You actually had that _thing_ living under the same roof with me!"

Kotone felt her heart breaking, exploding, shattering, and crumbling like the radio tower. "What are you…Are you telling me Mewtwo is making you miserable?"

He laughed again, louder this time. "Making me miserable? You dumb woman. _He already destroyed my life!_ And I was stupid to not realize that you care for that thing all along!"

She was getting confused, heartbroken, dumbfounded, and baffled all at once. N and White were confused as she was. The Pokémon blinked, completely stupefied at the redhead's words.

Kotone moved closer, carefully commanding her Typhlosion to move aside. "Silver, I don't understand. You've seen and met Mewtwo a thousand times. How could something like this suddenly makes you think he destroyed your life? What did he ever do?"

Silver eyes locked with hazels. He clenched his trembling fists. Memories of his dream danced in his mind. Looking down, he hissed, "Because now I finally know whose eyes they belonged to when I lost everything that night."

His words were vague in her ears. Kotone inched forward. She crouched down, trying to meet his gaze. "Silver, Mewtwo didn't do anything wrong."

_Didn't. Do. Anything. Wrong._

That snapped him. "You lying bitch!" He yelled like a mad man. Kotone was completely taken aback at the shriek. Typhlosion and White ran towards the brunette, both in worry and panic. Silver trembled as his last ounce of patience was slowly melting away. "He didn't do anything wrong? He didn't do anything wrong?!" A crazed cackle burst from his lips. "That _monster_ deserves every right to die!"

Hearing upon the word 'monster', N felt his heart boil. "Hey! Don't ever say that a Pokémon is a-"

_Slap!_

The atmosphere toned into utter silence. White and N gawked as Kotone stood in front of Silver. The tall redhead's head was facing his left side. Shock and bafflement were the only emotions present inside of him.

"Do not-" The brunette scowled acidly, tears flowing down her cheeks. "-call Mewtwo a monster. He is _not_ a monster! Don't you _dare_ say that he deserves to die! How dare you!" Her chest increased and decreased each minute. Her hand that slapped him shuddered. She could feel the swell on her palm. She could see the redness on his cheek. The second the word 'monster' rang in her ears, her body acted out of impulse.

Everything was silent. The room seemed frozen. Silver didn't move an inch, neither did he blink. It made Kotone worry. Regret soon filled her, finally realizing what she had done. She moved forward, hands and eyes aware. "Sil-"

Suddenly, everything happened so fast.

Silver gripped her shoulders, pulled and pushed her against a wall, and,

_Slam!_

Kotone let out a loud yelp. Dumbstruck, Typhlosion's mane flared up as he crouched behind Silver. A huge fireball was swirling in his mouth, ready to release it on the redhead. White, on the other hand, automatically took hold of a lamp post and gripped it up in the air, ready to slam it on the boy's head.

Kotone slowly opened her eyes. Shock and fear combined into one to see Silver was standing very closely to her face. His fists were pressed against the wall, right between her head.

"You…" He hissed deeply, spitefully like rancid acid. "You only care for that being. You never gave a Rattata's ass about me." His body inched closer. Terror-stricken, her hands pressed against his chest, trying to stop him. His silver eyes were shining in a heinous glow. His expression was a mix of insane and furious.

Feraligatr stood beside Silver, cautiously crouching. His eyes glanced at Silver, then peeked at the fire starter and White. 'Dude, calm down.'

'Do not tell me what to do!' Typhlosion roared savagely.

"Silver, let go of Kotone," White growled under her breath, hands tightly gripping the post.

But Silver ignored all of it. His focus was directly on the shivering brunette. Fear was the only thing in her eyes. And it gave him a pleasure to see the horror. His hands scooted to her shoulders. His nails scratched the fabric of her shirt. He leaned closer, letting their foreheads collide. His harsh breath was slapping her nose. His clenched teeth were closer, his lips touching her quivering lips. "You…"

"Silver, you're hurting me…" Kotone whimpered faintly, her lips brushing his. Her eyes were tightly shut. Her heart was silently praying.

Upon hearing those words, memories of them in the hospital flashed before his eyes. Silver could remember them perfectly. He could see the girl being pinned under him. He could see her hazel eyes, begging and pleading for mercy. He could see the sharp knife, steadily kissing his exposed neck.

_"Kill me now and this will all be over."_

He could hear his own words ringing in his ears. He could see himself biting her neck. He could see himself biting her earlobe. He could see himself hurting her.

His eyes unwarily moved to her bare neck. A faint scar – one that can't be seen from afar nor near, but upon closer inspection, it was in a tiny shape of an oval – was shown on her skin. The scar always brought despair in him. It made him feel guilty. It made him remember all the horrible things he had done to her.

_-All of this is your fault!-_

His heart sank like a ship. Silver looked down. His hands slid from her shoulders to her arms. He shut his eyes. Quiet curses and swears wheezed through his mouth.

"I'm the monster…" Silver muttered grimly.

Before Kotone could open her eyes and deny anything, he released her and took a few steps backwards. Without a glance, Silver spun his heel and walked to the door. Without a sound, he returned all his shocked Pokémon except Crobat.

Kotone blinked like an idiot. Silver was walking away.

Just like he did two years ago.

"Silver wait!" She dashed for the redhead. White, still in a state of shock, took chase of her cousin.

Once outside, Crobat gripped his trainer's arm and took the skies.

"Silver!" Kotone yelled again, calling out his name in vain. The man didn't give a peek, let alone turn around. He just stayed motionless, his bangs covering his grim eyes. Crobat flapped faster, away from Goldenrod City.

Away from Kotone.

"_Silver!_" the brunette screamed. Tears were rapidly flowing down her cheeks. Sobs were getting louder and louder each breath. She felt like someone had kicked her in the shin, making her feet wobbly.

White quickly gripped Kotone's shoulders. Out of reflex, the pigtailed brunette hugged her cousin, frantically weeping on her shoulders.

"Silver, no…" were the only words coming from her mouth. White hugged tighter, her hand rubbing Kotone's back. The younger cousin cried and wept, clueless as to what to do next.

* * *

Kotone sat quietly near the pool. Her body was covered in a warm blanket, but she didn't feel warm or cozy. She hugged her knees. The cold kept pinching her skin, but all she could ever think about was the wellbeing of her beloved legendary.

And Silver.

"Hey."

The girl looked up. A small, forced smile curved her lips. White returned her smile with a soft pat on the head. She placed a seat next to her. "Feeling any better?"

Kotone answered with a shrug. She looked at the clear water. Her reflection shined under the bright moonlight. White put her legs inside the pool, making small splashes. "Look, I'm sorry what happened back there."

Kotone nodded once. She brought her knees closer, red eyes staring in despair.

"Kotone, I have a question." White said as she received no response from her. "And don't take this the wrong way. I love you a lot. You're practically like a little sister to me."

The younger brunette glanced to her side. Her eyes showed a slight glint of curiosity.

"Well," White scratched the back of her neck. "Just, what do you see in that guy? Silver? I mean, he's acting like a total dick towards you. And I really hope you're not a masochist."

Finally, an expression flashed on Kotone's face. Her eyes blinked in shock. A few minutes later, a dry chuckle wheezed through her lips. "You're not the first person to ask me that." The girl focused her glance back at the water. "Ever since people knew about me and Silver, people started to question my taste in men. Or in Ethan's case, he started to question my sanity." The edge of her lips twitched to a short smile. "But nobody knew Silver like I do. He may be harsh and cruel and cold on the outside, but deep inside, he's a very sweet, gentle, loving, and caring man."

Wind blew past them. Silence ran in their ears. Kotone peeked at her cousin. White looked hesitant; doubtful of what she had just said. She chuckled again. "You probably don't believe me, do you?"

The ponytailed brunette grinned guiltily. "Well…"

Kotone sighed quietly. "It's okay. You're not the first person to not believe me either." Unwarily, her hand moved to her neck, fingers touching the faint scar. "Besides, what you saw back there, he was…under a lot of stress. Team Rocket should have never come back. They are the last people Silver wanted to see."

White stared as Kotone explained.

"Silver endured a lot of pain in his past. When I first saw him, all he could ever think about was strength and power. And I gotta admit, even I thought he was a jerk back then. But as time flies, I got to know him better. And he started to get used to me too." She chuckled bitterly. "He had to go under a lot of patience to adapt to my annoying personality. Long story short, I thought things will be normal and fine. I like what we are. He slowly changed. And I thought nothing could get in our way"

"But then, one night changed everything. I finally learned about his past; where he came from. And he wasn't thrilled about remembering it too." With a heavy heart, her memory served her mind, showing her every scene present on that misfortunate night. "He almost died because of me. He sacrificed his life just to protect me. And at that very moment, I realized how stupid I was to ever think I know everything about him." She closed her eyes. If not for her tears had gone dry, Kotone would cry.

_"But then, all this while, you actually had the purpose of my despair right on your fucking belt! You actually had that thing living under the same roof with me!"_

His words banged her eardrums.

_"You dumb woman. He already destroyed my life!"_

His words pierced her ability to breathe right.

_"That monster deserves every right to die!"_

His words stabbed her right in the heart.

_"You never gave a Rattata's ass about me."_

His words broke the remaining pieces of her heart.

_"I'm the monster…"_

Every word bloodily rang in her ears. She shut her eyes. To her dismay, she was wrong, for tears were still present. "Right after that night, I thought I knew everything about him. But after what just happened back there, it's like I don't know anything about him anymore. I'm confused. I'm stumped. It's like just when I thought everything is okay, these things happen." Kotone placed her forehead on her knees, silently sobbing.

White watched in grief. Her hand touched Kotone's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Have you called him?"

Kotone nodded her head slowly. "I lost count on how many times I did. He switched off his Pokégear. Or likely, he must have thrown in it a lake or something." A grim chuckle bounced off her lips at her own joke. Kotone looked at her Pokégear. "I just don't get it. Just when I was convinced that I know everything about him, it turns out, I don't know anything at all…" Her words muttered woefully. Her brain couldn't function well. Why was Team Rocket back? Why did they steal Mewtwo? Why did Mewtwo disobey her orders and tried to _kill_ her?

But most of all, what does Mewtwo have anything to do with Silver?

"I'm a terrible person." Kotone brought her body closer and bit her lower lip. She wanted to confront Silver, to ask the problem. She wanted to go and save her Mewtwo. She wanted all of the pain to disappear.

Suddenly, her mind stopped as she felt her body being pulled into a tight hug. Kotone looked upfront. She was stunned to see White was hugging her.

"Kotone," White muttered softly, her head on the girl's shoulder. "Please don't cry or be sad anymore. That's the last thing I want to see from you. You're not a terrible person. Team Rocket is. They are bad. Not you. Not Silver. Not anyone." Her eyes felt wet themselves, as the story of Kotone's tapped into her own personal memory. "I promise. We'll get Mewtwo and Silver back, and we will put an end to Team Rocket."

The petite brunette froze as her cousin promised her. She shut her eyes, letting the sounds of her heartbeat occupy her earshot. Her hands cupped her mouth, fighting back another urge to scream.

"Thanks…"

Flashing a comforting smile, White released her hug and petted Kotone's head. "Come on. Let's get some sleep. We'll depart for Kanto first thing at dawn, aite?"

Kotone looked at White. She tried to pose a smile; an innocent and assuring one like her cousin. But Kotone was terrible at hiding her emotions. Pursing her lips tightly, she nodded. "Okay then."

* * *

White entered her room. She yawned tiredly. Her body felt numb. Well, one can't blame her. She almost died from a tumbling tower.

"White…"

She opened her eyes. Sitting at the edge of the bed was N. A smile bestowed on her lips. But soon she felt strange when N didn't return her smile. "N, what's wrong?"

The young man looked down. His toes curled uneasily, signs that he was feeling anxious or guilty. White walked closer. Finally, she stopped in front of him. "N?" She squatted to meet his gaze. "You okay?"

His green bangs were covering his eyes. N shook slowly. His hands clutched the covers of the bed. His lips trembled. He bit the insides of his cheeks.

After a few silent minutes, White finally realized what he was thinking. The girl curved a small smile. She gripped his hands, catching his attention. Slowly, N looked in her alluring aqua eyes.

Her smile grew wider, making his heart at ease. "N, if you're still thinking about that. Don't. Stop blaming yourself for something you didn't do." Her finger playfully poked his nose. "Besides, I've put that all behind me now. There's no need to carry that burden on your shoulders anymore."

N blinked as White explained. She looked radiant; happy. White was telling the truth. She did put the past behind her. There's no revenge. There's no resent. Just a soft beautiful smile, telling him that it was time to move on.

The grenette sighed ruefully. "I'm sor-"

"Aaa nope." Her fingers moved to his lips, shushing him. The young man froze to feel her soft touch. The brunette shook her head, her mouth whispering, "No more 'I'm sorry'. No more 'It's my fault'. No more blaming yourself coz like I said, it's not your fault. It's never your fault." She pinched his lips, stunning N even more. An amused laugh burst from her mouth to see his expression.

N looked at White. His heartbeat was racing. His breathing was uneven. Finally, he gripped her wrist and tugged it from his lips. The young man sulked childishly, yet deep inside, he was happy as ever. "You're the kindest person I've ever met."

White giggled. "I got that from you then."

Emerald eyes met aquas, his lips curved into a wide smile. His eyes simmered under the dim light. Without warning, N pulled White into a tight hug. She was taken off guard, but didn't push him back. Instead, her face grew redder. Thankfully, the lights weren't so bright.

"Thank you…" N muttered, his voice filled with love and gratitude. "And I love you."

The girl laughed bashfully. Her heartbeat and his heartbeat raced like engines, yet enjoying every moment of it. Slowly, her hands tapped his bare chest. "I love you too, dimwit."

* * *

It was a quiet night. Everyone was asleep. Even in the city of the busiest people in Johto, there will always be a time where silence is their only music.

Yes. Every human and Pokémon were asleep.

Except for one.

Kotone stood outside. Her Charizard was standing in front of her, the Pokémon's wings spread widely. Kotone let out a quiet shush, not wanting to awake White or N – or their majestic dragons that were sleeping outside.

The brunette checked her satchel. Next, she checked her belt. Six Pokéballs were positioned, even Mewtwo's empty Level Ball. She inhaled deeply and let out a silent, long breath. Steadily, Kotone hopped onto Charizard. "You sure you can make it to Cinnabar tonight?"

The blaze Pokémon nodded tenaciously. 'You can count on me, Kotone!'

Hearing her Kanto starter's assuring bark, it made Kotone smile. She looked at her house, her smile slowly turning into a frown. "I'm sorry, White." The girl faced forward. With a soft pat on the neck, Charizard took the dark sky.

_Mewtwo, I'm coming._


	10. 9

Lillil mumbled woozily in her sleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but a few seconds later, she was able to see clearly.

And the first thing she saw – was Samurott's face closely to hers.

'Ahhh!' Out of reflex, the Lilligant released Magical Leaf. Colourful leaves began to sprout from her body, and it hit the formidable Pokémon.

'Oww oww oww!" Samurott yelped in pain. Swiftly, he used his sword and swatted the leaves away. The huge water starter glared at his best friend. 'Lillil! Are you trying to murder me or something?!'

Lillil quickly stood on her feet. 'Well excuse me! I'm not the one who barges into Pokémon's rooms and disturbs their sleep!' She then stopped, finally realizing something. 'Wait, why are you in the girl's bedroom?' The elegant flowering Pokémon blinked in stupor. Thanks to her 'adventurous' mind – something she picked up from White – Lillil screamed, 'You were peeking on me sleeping weren't you! You pervert!'

Samurott gawked dumbfoundedly. He let out a heavy sigh. 'Lillil, the reason I came inside the room is because Banette and Volcarona tried to wake you up but failed. So they sent me. We're going to Kanto right now. Get ready.'

Her lips curved into a small frown.

Samurott turned around. Before he went out the door, his mouth muttered, 'Besides, what kind of male in the right mind would wanna gawk at you.'

That ticked Lillil off. 'You bastard!' Angrily, she summoned Leaf Storm. In seconds, vines began sprouting from below. The thick ropes plummeted towards Samurott. Due to his disadvantage and had been caught off guard, the vines easily constricted Samurott and Lillil threw him out of the room.

The huge starter slammed to the glass wall. Luckily, it was thick enough to endure the violent pressure. Samurott groaned in pain. It hadn't been 6 in the morning yet and he had taken two hits.

'I'm guessing Lillil's awake?'

Samurott opened his eyes. Zebstrika, Banette, and Volcarona stood in front of him. Muttering grimly, he stood on his feet. 'Next time, you guys wake her up and see how you like it when your body gets thrown like a sack of potatoes.'

The trio replied his snarky remark with a silly grin. 'By the way, you haven't seen Typhlosion, have you?' Zebstrika asked the two females. Banette and Volcarona gave surprised looks.

The females shook their heads. 'Now that you mention it, Rhydon, Charizard, and Ampharos weren't in their room too. And I didn't see Gyarados outside when I took a stroll at four.' The marionette Pokémon explained and Volcarona nodded, assuring her friend's words. Zebstrika and Samurott were stunned. They gave suspicious glances at each other.

'You don't think…' The formidable muttered.

Zebstrika shook his head. 'They can't be…'

"Kotone, it's time to go!"

Four heads turned to see White knocking on Kotone's door. N and Zoroark stood near the brunette. The illusion fox Pokémon seemed anxious. He was fidgeting next to N.

The second they saw it, they knew something wasn't right.

"Kotone?" White gripped the doorknob. She was surprised to see her room was unlocked. Without another minute, she entered the room. "Kotone…?"

* * *

Silver stood quietly. The darkness was filling his field of vision. He looked up. Only dark clouds were floating above. His eyes were empty as the sky. He stared blankly, gaze wandering off like a mindless soul.

Suddenly, sounds of metal rolling rang in his ears. Silver looked down.

A gun. A shiny, black-coloured gun was seen on his feet. It was quiet big. The shape was unique, indicating it was an antique. Suddenly, a bright purple light shined before him. Silver looked upfront, eyes not even a blink.

There, floating right in front of him, was the huge shadow.

Its eyes gleamed maliciously. Its body floated up in the air. It stared at Silver, giving off a certain vibe; a deadly one.

Silver eyes met its gaze. Silver should be scared. He should be terrified by now. He should cower by his knees, praying and crying helplessly. But no. The boy stayed motionless. His face showed no expression; not a hint of emotion. Like the dark shadow, he too was soulless and empty. He felt nothing. His eyes showed nothing.

He was nothing.

Silently, he took the gun. Silver stood up straight. His hands firmly gripped the metallic pistol. The shadow floated closer, its eerie eyes focusing on the teenager.

His hands didn't shake. His body didn't tremble. His mouth didn't quiver. Neither did he grimace, nor did he flinch. All he did was stood there, aim sharply on the haunting figure. His finger pressed the gun's trigger, ready to push it. His thumb was placed on the hammer, ready to pull it.

It was getting closer. Its eyes were shining brighter. The shadow flashed a wide smile. Fangs. Fangs were shown as its mouth widened; sharp, long, pointy incisors. Distance was closing in. Its skull-like arm stretched forward, reaching for the human child.

_Bang!_

The bullet zoomed right through it. The whole surrounding had gotten more silent; eerie like death. The mysterious figure fell limply to the ground. Silver stayed frozen, eyes on the fallen being.

Rain began pouring down. Drops of clear tears dripped on his head, and on the lying shadow. Silver walked towards it, face still emotionless. As he moved closer, the image was getting clearer in his eyes. Finally, he stopped. Thick fog was covering the body, making him unable to see. Silver stood there calmly, waiting for the fog to lift.

And as it did, he could perfectly see and identify his fallen prey.

For what was lying on his feet wasn't the purple-eyed demon.

But Kotone.

Her eyes were wide. A small, black hole was pierced on her forehead. Blood was seen trickling on her face. Drops of water splattered on her pale cheeks. Her dead eyes met his silver gaze. The once beautiful, hazel coloured irises were now cold and empty, showing no humanity; no life.

Even with the shocking discovery, Silver wasn't surprise. In fact, he wasn't reacting at all. He stayed there, looking at the lifeless girl.

Her eyes showed pain. Her eyes showed fear. Her eyes showed lost. Her eyes showed everything he ever avoided; hated every second in his life.

Silver blinked blankly. Without a sound, he pointed the gun right between her empty eyes.

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

* * *

Silver woke up instantly. His body shot straight up. His mouth was agape with heavy breathing flowing out of his mouth. The young man cupped his mouth, inhaling and exhaling for a good minute. Once calmed, he glanced at his watch. It was 6 in the morning; still too early to wake up.

He groaned silently, rubbing his forehead. The room was dark, but not as dark as his nightmare. There were no bright purple eyes, much to his relief. There were no heinous shadows, much to his relief. There were no guns, much to his relief.

There was no lifeless body, much to his _utmost_ relief.

The boy looked at his sweating palms. Silver blinked dumbly, thoughts a blur. Huffing bitterly, he hopped off his bed. Silver walked out of the room – which was one short of a door. He walked downstairs and towards the kitchen. The redhead opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk. Not bothering to take a glass, he took a seat and gulped the white liquid down. Once satisfied, Silver placed the empty carton and stared blankly into space.

For a brief moment, he considered moving.

Because everywhere he saw, everywhere his eyes focused on – it reminded him of Kotone.

The girl always made herself comfortable at his home. And truth be told, Silver didn't mind it much. But after what just happened yesterday, his heart was feeling dreadful. Guilt was tapping into his mind ever since he left her place. Sorrow and pain were the only emotions left from the second he reached home until he fell asleep. Silver covered his face, moaning and groaning in his palms.

"Maybe I should apologize…" He muttered grimly, voice croaked from all the yelling.

"Snea…"

The redhead looked forward. His team of six stood before him, all looking very concerned. "What?" Silver asked annoyingly, even though he knew very well what was going on.

Sneasel jumped on the table and scurried towards his trainer. He sat in front of Silver, eyes gleaming in a way that meant, 'We're worried for you.'

The redhead chuckled dryly, as if he knew what the sharp claw was saying. "Stop making me feel like shit like I already am."

A low, sad whimper tapped his eardrums. Silver looked at Feraligatr. His starter looked down, claws tapping against one another. The human raised an eyebrow, suspicious with the big jaw's strange behaviour.

Suddenly, he remembered.

The incident at the Radio Tower; _his_ behaviour.

Silver pursed his lips tightly. "Feraligatr. Sneasel. All of you. Please. I'm…I'm sorry." He breathed heavily, as if he had been holding his breath for hours. "I don't know what had gotten into me back at that tower. Or at Kotone's. Just, I'm sorry alright." He looked down, eyes inside the empty carton. His fingers tapped lightly. He was at lost for words. He had done enough damage. And Silver knew he wasn't going to be forgiven that easily.

Suddenly, he froze as all of his Pokémon crowded around him, giving him a big warm hug.

'It's all right,' buzzed Magneton.

'We forgive you,' chimed Gengar.

'You are our priority,' said Alakazam.

'You're still the greatest trainer ever to us,' purred Crobat.

'We will never leave you,' mewled Sneasel.

Silver was stunned, shocked to the bone. His Pokémon were murmuring their forgiveness; something he would have never expected. Their hugs gave Silver a sense of feeling – a family feeling.

He felt like family.

They were his family.

Silver looked at Feraligatr. The Pokémon stood in front of him, eyes dimmed in a softer light. A small smile curved on the big jaw's lips. Slowly, the huge water starter walked a few steps forward and wrapped his big arms around the group. 'We will always love you, Silver. You're like family to us; to me.'

Even though Silver didn't fully understand what they meant, but it was enough to shed a tear in his eyes. The boy's shoulders began to tremble slightly. He shut his eyes. His hands covered his mouth. His teeth bit the insides of his lips, fighting back the urge to do something that he swore never to do it again when he was nine: Let himself be opened up.

A tear, two teardrops trickled down his cheek. Sneasel quickly wiped it off Silver's face. The young redhead let out a breath of a chuckle. He awkwardly swiped the tear away, lips mumbling a faint, "Thanks…"

_Thank you guys. Thank you so much…_

* * *

Silver looked at his Pokégear. His heart pounded. His hands fidgeted. His Pokémon had lost count of his sighs half an hour ago. The redhead looked at his team, lips curving a sorrow frown. "I'd rather not…"

Grumbles and growls of his Pokémon indicated that he'd better do it. Silver scoffed bitterly and rolled his eyes. He glanced at the name on the device. The name glowed brighter, urging him to press 'call' and get it over with.

It had been one night, and Silver had gone ballistic without hearing the sound of her voice. If the old Silver were to know his state right now, that person would have laughed so loud and called him 'weak'.

He chuckled stupidly. Things have changed and honestly, Silver wouldn't want it any other way.

That is, until what happened yesterday.

Another woeful sigh escaped his mouth. "She hates the crap outta me now." Silver banged his forehead on the table, mouth groaning in resent.

He had hurt her – again.

The girl had taken too many hits from and for him.

At times like this, he questioned her taste in men _and_ her sanity.

His frown grew wider at each thought. "I almost hurt her." His rage had gotten the best of him. His rage blinded him to not see and hear Kotone's explanation. True. He had never seen the true glimpse of the 'demon' before when he was a kid. But after today, all his nightmares were exposed right before his very silver eyes.

What was what he thought was dead, was actually alive and near him all along.

Silver stared at his Pokémon. _It's not her fault. She didn't know it either. I wasn't planning on telling her anytime soon anyways._

But there's a reason why he kept it a secret.

Flames danced in his mind. Screams of terror pierced his eardrums. Panic and terror-stricken were the only two things he had encountered.

The sound of a gunshot.

The scream of a monster.

The scream of a woman.

The sudden high-pitched sound of an explosion.

The sight of the raging fire.

The sight of his ending.

Silver rubbed his forehead again. The remaining pieces of his heart were still scarred; never healed. The device in his hands were tightly clutched, buttons randomly and harshly pressed.

Sensing the fume in their trainer, Feraligatr touched Silver's hand. The redhead flinched out of reflex, his body jumped out of his seat. He gawked at his starter, then at his remaining five.

'Come on man. You can do it.' Feraligatr flashed an assuring, warm smile.

Thankfully, it did calm Silver down. He huffed sourly. "I hate this…"

Suddenly, his Pokégear rang. Another jump was seen from him. Silver glared at the red device. But annoyed changed into confusion to see it was an unknown number. His eyebrow cocked upwards. Feeling hesitant and slightly nerve-wrecking, Silver answered the call. He slowly placed his Pokégear on his ear. "Hello?"

"Silver?!" A voice – more mature than Kotone's and sounding very distressed – was on the other line. Before Silver could reply, the voice continued. "We have a serious problem. It's about Kotone!"

That was enough to make Silver jumped out of his seat and dashed right towards the front door.

* * *

It was a quiet day in Old Cinnabar. Wild Pokémon were frolicking and flying about. The only human present on the upper ground was Nurse Joy, handling and caring for some Pokémon in the Center.

But unknowing to Nurse Joy, there were other humans, living right underneath the old volcano. Team Rocket sat patiently, each minding their own business. Ariana cuddled with her Arbok. Petrel and Proton were betting on each other about their Pokémon's strength. Archer was sitting quietly, eyes shut, as if in thought.

Everything seemed quiet and peaceful.

Until a huge, massive explosion burst from the wall.

The four Executives were completely caught off guard. Petrel and Proton were thrown aback, but were quickly saved by their Pokémon. Clouds of dust and smoke filled the area. Debris of rocks scattered on the ground.

Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and Proton looked forward. Their respective Pokémon crouched before them, protecting their trainers.

In less than 20 seconds, five huge, snarling figures approached them. Typhlosion stood out front, on his four legs and exhaling raging flames. The volcano Pokémon's eyes focused on his enemy. His fangs were bared savagely as he growled like a maniac.

Finally, their trainer walked towards them. She stopped next to her starter. Her hazel eyes were anything but fun and joy. Her pigtails whipped against the harsh wind. Her hat stayed neatly on her head, not even flying off due to the rubbles and fierce air. Her fists were balled in and out. Her teeth were forcefully clenched inside her closed mouth. She looked upfront, intently glaring at the four human beings standing before her.

"Give-" She snarled acidly, voice almost as deadly as her Tyhplosion. "-me back _my_ Mewtwo!"


	11. 10

"How can you be so _stupid_ to have lost her?!"

"How can _you_ be so stupid _and_ cruel to have hurt her in the first place?!"

White and Silver yelled at each other. Their voices were raised every minute. White even tiptoed, making their foreheads almost clashing against one another. The redhead hissed under his breath. The word 'fuck' breathed through his mouth for the twentieth time. "Oh now it's my fault?"

"No duh!" She spat harshly. White poked his chest, trying to push him even though Silver didn't move an inch. "If you haven't gone Primeape yesterday, she would still be here by now!"

That not only made his blood boil, but almost his heart stopped for a good second. Silver gulped heavily. Thoughts about never seeing Kotone ever again haunted him, giving him a good gut-wrenching twist in the stomach. Fists clenched, gritted teeth getting tighter, he growled, "You watch your mouth!"

N and the Pokémon stood from a distance, scared at the outburst from the two. N sighed quietly. White was quite temperamental, and he realized that a long time ago. And Silver wasn't actually one with good patience. "Uh…guys…"

Unfortunately, both the brunette and the redhead didn't hear N. "You are such a dick! Seriously, I don't even know why my cousin likes you!"

Deep inside, Silver's heart cracked at her truthful accusation. "You don't know shit about me! Do not make me tear that dry mouth of yours!"

"Guys…" N muttered again.

White cackled sarcastically. "Oh I would like to see you try!"

"Guys…" The greenette's voice was getting lower.

"Do _not_ underestimate me." Silver leaned forward. Compared to Kotone, White wasn't a least bit intimidated, and her body stayed in position.

N groaned in slight irritation and sadness. He despised fighting, especially when it comes to the people and Pokémon he cared about. He looked out the window, eyes meeting Zekrom's gaze. "Zekrom, would you please?"

_Very well Sir N._ With a loud roar, thunderclouds quickly formed above the penthouse. In a split second,

_**KACHAUWW!**_

An ear-piercing thunder boomed above the dark sky, thus halting White and Silver from their raging quarrel. Once the situation calmed down, Zekrom removed the clouds away.

N smiled and let out a small sigh. At least they finally shut up. But his relief was cut off the minute his girlfriend and the redhead shot good glares at him.

"What the fuck was that for?!" Silver shouted at N.

A frown bestowed on the greenette's face. "Okay one. Do not say the F word. That is a bad word and it does _not_ have a good ring to it! And two, fighting and bickering against one another isn't going to solve this problem. Kotone is missing and the last thing we want to do is to be angry with each other."

The two stared at N then peeked at each other. Finally, White sighed sourly. "N's right. Kotone's missing and here we are arguing. We need to think together on where she is now."

Arms crossed, Silver scoffed bitterly. "And you take advices from a guy who acts like a three year old."

Just when she was about to cool down, Silver just had to lit the fiery temper in her. "Technically, he has a mind of a five year old."

"Hey!" N frowned bitterly. He glared as Zoroark snickered amusingly at White's statement.

Ignoring N, White continued, "And I do not want to continue this mindless argument with some retard."

"You're saying I'm a retard?" Silver stomped one foot forward. Compared to White, Silver's fiery temper was anything but put out. In fact, it was raging even more.

The ponytailed brunette smirked cockily. "Well, unless you're a retard _and_ a deaf one."

The boy's hands were ready to choke her neck. "Why you little-"

_**KACHAUWW!**_

Both halted in shock. Silver inhaled sharply, trying his very best to calm down. Usually, Kotone will be the one to ease him back to normal. Remembering back, he realized how much that girl had affected his life. Shutting his eyes, the boy took a few steps backwards. "Fine…"

White posed a small frown. She scratched her neck and also stepped backwards. It was the first time she had conversed with Silver one-on-one, and in less than a minute, they had already started bickering like Meowths and Growlithes. Kotone was right; she did question her cousin's taste in men _and_ sanity sometimes.

"Now think," N walked towards them. "Where would Kotone be right now? She's not at home. She's not in Silver's. Is there any place she would have gone?"

A few minutes of silence filled the air. The Pokémon too joined in the thinking circle. Silver, on the other hand, couldn't think straight. His fists were balled in and out. His teeth tapped against one another, nervous about Kotone's disappearance.

_"Seriously! I don't even know why my cousin likes you!"_

Honestly, he'd been asking himself that since ever.

"Cinnabar Island."

His thoughts went to a halt. Silver looked at White. N also locked eyes with the brunette. White exchanged glances between the two young men. "We were supposed to go to Cinnabar today to save Mewtwo. I specifically told her that we'll do that first thing in the morning. If I'm not mistaken – and I really hope I am – she's off to Kanto to save him."

Silver's blood rushed right to his brain. His body froze like a block of ice. _She's…off to Cinnabar…to save that thing…!_

"Damn it, Kotone!" White shouted, unaware of Silver's silently raging state. "She can be so hasty sometimes!"

"Like you." N said bluntly and honestly.

The tall brunette shot another good glare at the greenette. But soon her attention was caught by Silver as he dashed to the door. "Wait where are you going?!"

But Silver ignored White. He quickly returned all his Pokémon except Crobat. "Crobat! Cinnabar! Now!" he yelled frantically. The bat Pokémon obeyed and took the skies. Silver gripped on one of the Pokémon's wings, his heart beating in utmost panic.

"Oh no you don't!" Suddenly, two thick vines wrapped around Silver's foot. Without warning, it tugged Silver down, resulting with Crobat losing his balance and fell. The two slammed to the ground. Lillil retracted her vines. She let out a sigh. 'What a hasty boy.'

White linked her arms on her chest. "What a hasty boy."

The redhead hopped back to his feet. His eyes were flaring in anger. His teeth were gritted madly. "What the _fuck_ was that for?!"

She walked a few steps forward. "Stopping you. Duh."

Silver gawked at her answer. His eyes were wide as ever. "Stopping me? From saving Kotone? Are you stupid?!" Crobat shook his head woozily and flew to Silver's head. His face showed of a worried expression.

White inhaled slowly and deeply. N lightly squeezed her shoulder. Dealing with Silver wasn't an easy task. "Look," she growled under her breath. "She's my cousin. I'm worried about her as much as you do. But Cinnabar is a long, long trip. And you expect your Crobat to fly there for like three hours straight? Other than that, you're just gonna hang up in the air. Your body's gonna be sore and numb by the time you reach there."

Silver bit his lower lip. He looked down. Never did he think of it. But how can he not? All he could think of was Kotone's wellbeing.

"That's why Reshiram and Zekrom are gonna take us."

He looked upfront, eyes wide in shock. "What?"

"Reshiram and Zekrom are gonna fly us there. No offense to your Crobat but they're much faster and they won't tire out easily. We can at least get there in an hour." White explained as her vast white Pokémon stood beside her. Fade smoke began blowing out of his nostrils. Silver gawked at the two legendary dragons. He then focused his attention at N's Zekrom, who was flashing a cheerful smile next to the greenette.

Silver clenched his fists. Sounds of murmuring filled his eardrums. The boy looked at Crobat. The bat Pokémon seemed to agree with the idea. As much as he hated to admit it, White was right. There was a slight chance Crobat might not make it, and even if he did, his body would have been stiff like rocks. Finally, he let out a hesitant sigh. "Fine."

The brunette flashed a smile. And in a brief, short moment, Silver didn't see White's smile. No. The second her lips pursed the most innocent curve, Silver actually thought it was _Kotone_ smiling. He could see his girlfriend smiling and giggling. He could faintly hear her voice in his head. The wind was breezing in his ears, and Silver shivered as he could faintly, vaguely hear his name being called out with _her_ voice.

And it didn't help him one bit. Silver quickly shook his head and averted his attention. The more he thought about Kotone, the more his heart couldn't bare it.

Unaware of Silver's grief, White looked at N. "Silver rides with you."

The young man's eyes were now wide. "What?" He looked at Silver, and then back at White. His lips curved upside-down. "But he scares me. Why does he have to ride with me?"

The brunette returned all her Pokémon except her legendary. "Because if Silver rides with me, we will end up fighting again. And do you want that to hear screams and yells and more F words in the skies while we're on our way?"

'I will throw that boy the first minute he get's grouchy with White again, Sir N.' Reshiram said blankly. Hearing White's explanation and the vast white's blatant threat was convincing enough. N sighed resentfully.

"Very well…" he muttered sulkily.

'Don't worry Sir N. If the boy gets rough with you, I will then proceed to throw him off me too.' Zekrom joked around, in which N sadly took it seriously. The grenette looked at deep black Pokémon, eyes wider and mouth shouting, "No! That is horrible!"

* * *

It was a quiet day at Old Cinnabar. Nothing much happened since the volcano incident. Everything was peaceful and calm. Pokémon were frolicking and flying about. There was only a Pokémon Center there, with Nurse Joy aiding the creatures in need. Yes. All was well and peaceful on the surface.

But what lies _under_ Old Cinnabar was a different story.

"Typhlosion! Flamethrower!" Kotone commanded; her voice filled with power and rage. The volcano Pokémon jumped right above her and released a raging ray of scorching flames. Weezing floated backwards. Petrel stood from afar, eyes on his young enemy.

"Sludge Bomb!" The executive shouted. Poisonous purple sludge oozed out of Weezing's mouth. It clashed with Typhlosion's bright orange flames, causing an explosion. The fog was getting thicker. The poison gas Pokémon whirled around, eyes cautiously looking for his opponent. Suddenly, a pair of demonic eyes and a wide haunting grin flashed behind him. Before Weezing could even turn around, Typhlosion plunged towards the poison-type and roughly dug his sharp claws into the purple skin.

Weezing screamed in utter pain. Typhlosion smiled an eerie smile. 'Die.' He dug his claws deeper. In a second, the volcano Pokémon threw Weezing like it was a piece of crumpled paper. Just as the poison-type was helplessly being flung about, Typhlosion exhaled another deadly fire, letting it swallow his enemy into a whole.

Kotone kept her posture; hands on her sides and chin up. An ear-pitching shrill banged her eardrums. Ariana's Arbok rocketed towards the pigtailed brunette. But Kotone didn't move. Neither did she cringe in fear or cower in terror. She stood there, eyes flaring in rage.

Like the speed of lightning, Gyarados swiftly wrapped herself around her beloved trainer and released a powerful Hyper Beam at the cobra Pokémon. Arbok crashed to the wall. The shiny atrocious snarled maniacally. 'Stay away from my trainer!'

Before Arbok could even stand up, Ampharos zoomed with her Agility and released Thunder. Blinding light began filling the broken room. Sounds of lightning, zapping, and burnt meat wafted in their nostrils. The light Pokémon's eyes were round. Her teeth were clenched and tightly gritted as she yelled a loud, 'You're gonna pay for messing with us!'

Arbok screamed in agony. Taking it as an opening, Rhydon jumped up in the air and slammed her feet down to the ground. The place began to shatter horribly. Lines of cracks were quickly seen on the tiles. One of them reached for the fragile Arbok, resulting with the cobra falling right into the hole.

Above them, Charizard and Golbat tackled and slammed each other. Both twirled and crashed against one another, creating sparks and rubbles from the ceiling. Golbat flew towards the female, using his wings as a sharp razor blade. But to his dismay, the starter proved to be much faster as she nimbly dodged it. Kotone looked up, expression never changing. "Flamethrower!" she commanded her Kanto starter. Smirking devilishly, the blaze Pokémon inhaled sharply and released an intense, scorching fire. It hit Golbat right on the chest, pushing him straight to a glass wall.

Without any time to spare, Typhlosion dashed towards Houndoom. Roars of malice echoed inside the hollow room. Archer stood from afar, yet expression getting more and more irritated. "Flamethrower!"

With the sound of his trainer, Houndoom breathed out his attack. Typhlosion did the same as he charged towards his enemy. Fire clashed with fire, and another explosion occurred in a blink of an eye. Black smoke clouded the dark Pokémon's vision. But his ears were sharper than ever. Typhlosion did the same to Weezing, and plunged towards Houndoom. But to the starter's dismay, his enemy swiftly dodged it and counterattacked with Crunch. The volcano Pokémon roared in pain and quickly jumped away. On all fours, Typhlosion cursed out loud and glared at the Rocket's Pokémon. 'You're gonna pay for that, punk!'

Houndoom chuckled bitterly. 'Where is your respect, child? I am much older, much stronger than you. You will never defeat me even if you tried!'

The two slowly circled each other, eyes never leaving their gazes. Typhlosion let out a cynical laugh and snorted. 'Oh really? Then explain to me why I can easily burn your ass the first time we met? Or is it that you're too_old_ of a bastard to even remember!'

Houndoom was losing his patience at the fire starter's remark. Without waiting any longer, the dark Pokémon released Flamethrower. Smirking cockily, Typhlosion ran right into the flames. It baffled Houndoom, but bafflement changed into shock the second the starter jumped right in front of him and out of the wave of inferno.

Typhlosion snorted amusingly, his eyes flashing like a little maniac. 'Time to dig your own grave.' Smoke breezing through his nostrils, he landed a heavy punch right on Houndoom's face, making the dark/fire-type fly straight into some machines. Typhlosion landed with ease. He huffed in pride, lips curving into a victorious smirk.

But apparently, that smirk disappeared.

Suddenly, hundreds of Zubats, Ekans, and Koffings surrounded the area. It went to the fallen Rocket's Pokémon and aided to their help. Even a few dashed towards the fallen Houndoom and lifted him up. Soon, the area was filled with wild Pokémon; all were defending Team Rocket.

"What the…?" Kotone was baffled. Team Rocket wouldn't have kept that so many Pokémon, would they? Koffings, Ekans, and Zubats moved towards them, and her Pokémon slowly retreated backwards. Gyarados wrapped the brunette closer, making sure Kotone was safe. A loud, cackling laugh filled the room. The girl looked as Archer guffawed; his comrades by his sides and smiling.

"There are reasons why we pick the Old Cinnabar!" Archer shouted in glee. "You see, this place is filled with wild Zubats, Ekans, and Koffings. The only thing missing are Houndours but who cares? All that matters is they see our Pokémon as their leaders. And once you mess with their bosses, you mess with them too." He clapped his hands. "Kind of like Team Rocket's policy, don't you think?"

Kotone cursed under her breath. "Damn you…" An army of wild Pokémon were closing in. Typhlosion created a fiery barrier, preventing them from moving any further. Her team of five stood near her, eyes cautiously on the four Rockets. The girl's mind was twirling around on finding a solution. Her Pokémon were more than worn out thanks to the battle, but now she had to deal with more Pokémon. She looked at Archer. "I'm telling you again. Give me back my Mewtwo!"

Petrel crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Oh, so now you want to give up?"

Kotone let out a spiteful 'tch'. "In your dreams, dumbass. Where is my Mewtwo?!"

The executive scorned in irk. The girl definitely had no sense of respect whatsoever. Archer bit back a grin. Huffing quietly, he flicked his fingers. Proton pulled a lever. In seconds, a hidden wall slid open; revealing the one and only legendary.

His head was down. His arms stayed still on his sides. His eyes were shut. His body floated a foot off the ground. The collar was still intact on his neck.

Once gazed upon, her eyes finally softened in worry and sadness. "Mewtwo..." Unwarily, Kotone jumped right out of her Gyarados' safe grip and dashed towards her purple legendary.

'Kotone no!' Her Pokémon yelled in terror. Thinking fast, Typhlosion rapidly dashed for his trainer.

The four Rockets flashed a despicable smile. Without a word, Archer pressed the big red button.

Mewtwo looked upfront. He opened his eyes, showing a pair of shining, iris-less purple orbs. The edge of his upper lip rose into a snarl, and the genetic Pokémon released Psycho Cut.

Thankfully, Typhlosion was able to push Kotone away – right before it hit her flat on the face.

The brunette fell on her back. All her Pokémon hurried to her aid. The Johto starter crouched forward, eyes on his brainwashed friend. 'Dude what the fuck?! Snap out of it!' Typhlosion rocketed towards Mewtwo. His mouth opened, with a fireball formed inside and ready to be spat out. Without waiting for another second, the volcano Pokémon breathed a huge gush of fire.

But to his horrifying dismay, Mewtwo used his Psychic and easily averted the flames right back on the fire starter.

Typhlosion's eyes were wide in shock. His own attack hit him in the stomach, making him fly right to a wall. Kotone stood wobbly, yet emotions in terror to see her fallen beloved. "Typhlosion!" She cringed to hear more laughter and banging of walls pierced her eardrums.

"Impressive!" Archer cheered. "I have to admit. You are quite the trainer. Even I didn't know Mewtwo could be _that_ strong. Now, thanks to you, he's invincible and basically the most powerful Pokémon of them all!" The blue-haired man guffawed in utmost joy. He pressed the button again. As a command, Mewtwo floated towards the dumbstruck teenager. With one swoop of his arm, another razor-like aura whooshed at them.

This time, her other four shielded Kotone, taking the hit. They all crashed to walls. Their bodies fell limp on the dusty ground. "Guys!" Kotone screamed in horror. Her Pokémon had taken too much toll. If they kept it up, they might end up more than worn out. She turned around, looking at the purple being. "Mewtwo, stop it!"

But the Pokémon completely ignored her. He was against his own will. Fists formed on her hands. Kotone slowly walked towards him, each foot stepping forward, her heels clacking on the shattered tiles.

The Rockets were confused at the brunette's attempt. "Don't tell me she's going to reason with that thing?" Ariana asked in amusement.

Proton laughed full-heartedly. "Hah! Stupid bitch! That will just be a waste of-"

"Let her."

Three heads snapped, and eyes wide in bafflement to see and hear Archer's statement. "What?" Petrel broke the silence. The bluenette let out a faint snicker and twirled the small device. Eyes on his enemy, Archer answered, "I think it'll be fun to see some fireworks, don't you think?" He pressed the big red button. As a result, Mewtwo's feet touched the ground, and his eyes slowly reverted back to his normal form.

For a second there, Kotone was bursting with joy to see her old friend back. "Mewtwo!" Without another thought, her feet moved faster, dashing towards the genetic being.

_Ko…tone…_ Mewtwo thought in a blur. His head was empty, yet his eyes could see a familiar figure running towards him.

The brunette wanted to cry. Tears formed in her eyes. "Mewtwo, it's okay…I'm here…"

Typhlosion tried to stand on his feet, but his body was getting weaker by the minute. 'Kotone…n-no…' His sunset red eyes stared as his beloved trainer was running towards Mewtwo; running towards a trap.

And to his maximized horror and dismay, he was right.

With a dastardly smile, Archer pressed the button again.

Mewtwo glowed intensely. His body floated back up in the air. Seconds later, jolts began exerting from his body. Kotone screamed in shock. Her body almost got flung backwards again, but she quickly stood her ground. "_Mewtwo, wake up!_" she shouted for him, shouting and hoping that it will snap him back to reality. "_Please wake up! It's me! Kotone!_"

But all were pointless and in vain. Mewtwo screamed out loud. His eyes began to glow a darker shade of purple. An aura, shaped into a ball, circled around him as the Pokémon's voice got higher.

"Mewtwo!" The young woman shouted again and again. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Hands began to tremble. She could feel her skin being sliced and torn. Lines of red blood oozed on her cheek, forehead, arms and neck. "Mewtwo! For Arceus sake, please wake up!"

Archer's grin was getting wider. He was enjoying the show. The three were too – although baffled – liking the scene they were looking at. Blue eyes on the bright beam and on the frail teenager, Archer hissed, "I think it's time for a new era of Team Rocket…."

Using all her strength that she had left, Kotone dashed towards Mewtwo. The girl didn't give much thought and jumped up in the air. Her blood-stained hands quickly gripped Mewtwo's.

Once their skins had contact with one another, the two yelled at the top of their lungs.

Kotone had never felt so much pain in her life. Her brain felt like mush. Her eyes rolled straight up. The jolts began attacking her body, as if piercing right into her heart. She felt like something; an invisible blade stabbing and slicing her every flesh.

Her Pokémon were terrified, petrified, mortified, and above all, traumatized at what was happening before their very eyes. As tears ran down his cheeks, Typhlosion roared, '_KOTONE!_'


	12. 11

_"Mama, where are we going?"_

_Emery looked at his son. The child tugged the sleeve of her blouse. Pursing a small smile, she answered, "We're going to Almia to see Grandma and Grandpa. Isn't that fun?"_

_The boy bit the insides of his cheeks. He gazed out front. The wonderful island of Cinnabar was slowly fading away from his gaze. He then focused his attention back at his mother. "But Mama, isn't Papa coming with us?"_

_He saw her mother's smile slowly fading away. Emery averted her gaze, her finger softly tapping her cheek. "Well darling, Papa has lots of work to do back home. Sometimes Papa has to sacrifice himself just so he can make us happy."_

_His head tilted to the left, confused with his mother's explanation. "Sacrifice…?"_

_The elegant redhead ruffled her son's hair. "Sacrifice means one has to give up something in order to obtain something or someone that they want. So Papa is now working very hard so he can see Silver happy."_

_Silver blinked quietly, pondering on the new word. "Sacrifice…" he muttered faintly. "But Mama, I'm already happy. I love Mama and Papa together. Why can't Papa join us? Maybe this ship can turn around to get Papa."_

_The child's innocent words shattered her fragile heart. Emery let out a faint sigh. Xander murmured quietly, as if giving his trainer some motivation. She looked into her son's eyes. Silver irises gleamed beautifully. It was so innocent. So pure. So filled with life and happiness. It harboured no hatred, nor deceit. It was just a sight if a curious child, who was happy enough with the simple things life had given him._

_The more she looked at Silver, the more she wanted to cry. Emery held her son's hands, gripping it tightly but softly. "Don't worry baby. I promise, once Papa is finished with his work, we will be one happy family again. Just you, Mama, Papa, and Xander." She flashed an honest smile as she made her promise._

_Silver quickly returned her smile with a wider version of his. "Yayy!"_

* * *

Silver woke up immediately. His eyes stared blankly as only skies and moving clouds were present in his vision. The young man sat up, mouth groaning in numbness. _Another dream_, he thought. Silver shook his head._No. That wasn't just a dream…_ His fingers pinched between his eyes as the redhead tried to remove the fatal thought that was banging in his mind.

"You're awake."

He looked from behind. There, sitting near the deep black Pokémon's head was N. The young man looked at the redhead. The edge of his lip twitched upward, unknowing whether to give a smile or not. "It's nice that you had some sleep. You have eye bags under your eyes."

Unwarily, Silver touched his eyes. N was right; his eyes did feel slightly puffy. He scoffed bitterly and looked away. Well duh. When you keep getting constant nightmares and one of those nightmares just so happens to have turned into reality, sleep wasn't really easy as pie anymore. "Where are we?" Silver asked, trying to change the subject.

N looked below. "We're in Kanto. We'll be approaching Old Cinnabar in a few minutes."

_Ten minutes to be exact_, Zekrom assured his trainer.

"Zekrom says ten more minutes." The greenette flashed a small smile, in which Silver didn't return. N sighed dryly and looked out front. Flying past them was Reshiram. He saw White sitting valiantly on top of her legendary. Seeing her, his smile reappeared on his face. "I'm sorry on White's behalf."

Silver looked at N. A single eyebrow raised upwards, confused with the young adult's statement.

Realizing he was being stared, N continued, "It's just…White's a bit of a temper when people make her mad. But she's a really nice, lovable, fun, sweet person. And you, well…" He scratched the back of his neck, somehow nervous on what he was going to say next. "You need to tone down your temper too…"

Silver eyes widened in shock. His teeth clenched inside his mouth. His hands fisted into balls. Before he could land another rage attack, Silver took one deep breath. The last thing he wanted was another stressful debate on his personality. The young man looked at the wide ocean. He pursed his lips tightly, thinking about what N said. No one ever had the guts to talk about his temper. Well, no one except Kotone that is. So to hear it from N was slightly surprising. His breathing inhaled and exhaled a few times, calming himself down. Finally, he felt – almost – relaxed. "Whatever."

Taking it as a good thing, N smiled. At least the redhead didn't go berserk and Zekrom didn't have to throw him out in the ocean. "You seem like a nice person. If you weren't so," N stopped for awhile, thinking of a word White once told him, "stingy, maybe you and I could be friends."

Silver stared at N. His mouth slightly parted at the young man's comment. "Stingy?" He said dumbly. "I am not stingy!"

N scooted a foot away from him. Fear was slowly climbing into his head. "I was just pointing out what was needed to say."

"Well, I am not stingy. And neither am I temperamental. You keep your mouth shut about what you think." Silver growled under his breath and turned around, backing the childlike adult.

N blinked then let out a sigh. Silver was stubborn, that's for sure. "You are such a child."

Hearing this, Zekrom couldn't help but chuckle. _Look who's talking._

His human shot a glare at the majestic deep black. "Your opinion is not needed right now, Zekrom."

The legendary Pokémon rolled his eyes. _Of course it isn't. In an unrelated note, Sir N, it seems that we are here._

The greenette looked down. There it was. An island that looked deserted with only a Center present. Other than that, only a huge volcano and piles of brown dirt were seen from above. He looked at White, who signalled him to fly down. Nodding once, N looked at Silver. "We're here."

* * *

The others looked around after they landed. White got out of the Pokemon Center, along with Samurott by her side. The brunette shook her head and said, "Nurse Joy said she saw nothing strange while she worked here. It's like this place is too empty."

N and Silver flashed a small frown. The tallest of the boys looked at the place. There were only wild Pokémon and just tiny caverns. If it weren't for the fact that they were looking for a person that might involve life or death, N would consider having a little sightseeing of his own. The place, to him, was spectacular.

But to Silver, it was the complete opposite.

His palms felt sweaty. His teeth gave out mini chatters. His fists trembled slightly, yet being roughly static by the redhead. Silver hated the deserted island. He wanted to get out of it as soon as possible.

White groaned quietly and stood in front of them. "If she's not in this Cinnabar, maybe she's at the new island. Hopefully, we can find Kotone there." Her heart worried deeply for her beloved cousin. "And I really hope she's safe and sound."

N patted her head and gave her a smile. "She'll be fine."

He was horrifyingly worried for Kotone as well.

Suddenly, Sneasel, who was standing on Silver's shoulder, quickly hopped off his trainer and dashed into one of the caves. Silver, taken aback at his Pokémon's action, turned around with eyes wide open. "Hey! Sneasel! Come back!" Without time to lose, he gave chase to the sharp claw Pokémon. "Damn it Sneasel! Come back here at once!"

N and White were left in stupor. The brunette scoffed sourly. Silver had run off – again. "Hey wait up!" She gripped N's hand and instantly chased the redhead. N, shocked by the sudden tug, almost tripped and fell. "White, stop pulling me!"

* * *

The cave was dark, but enough to give out light. Sounds of harsh tapping echoed inside the hollow walls. Sneasel dashed as fast as he could, his ears twitching at each step. His trainer was only a few feet away. His lips curled into an angry snarl and his voice was booming inside the cave, shocking the wild Pokémon present. Samurott and Volcarona zoomed for the human and Pokémon. White and N sat on their respective backs, voices also loud enough as they call out Silver's name.

"Sneasel! I swear to Arceus I will kill you if you don't stop!" Silver shouted madly. His Pokémon always chose the worst times to act weird. He gripped Sneasel's Pokéball, ready to aim it at the hasty ice/dark-type.

Suddenly, before Silver could return his Pokémon. A light flashed before them. It was an exit. Scowling and exhaling a few curses, he picked up speed. "Sneasel!" Finally, the two got out of the cave. Silver flinched as the sun's rays beamed in his eyes. "Damn it! Sneasel, I swear, you are starting to get…on…my…" His voice turned into whispers, then stopped. Once vision came back to him, Silver froze to see what was standing right in front him.

A huge, abandoned mansion.

The building was rundown, obviously. It was coated with thick vines and leaves, yet traces of black soot were seen on its walls and crumbling pillars. Some of the windows were completely shattered. Some it only showed heavy cracks. The roof was nowhere to be seen. The building was utterly disfigured. Bricks were seen lying around. Holes and cracks 'decorated' the place. In fact, the upper left side of the mansion had been demolished to pieces, making it look dull, ugly, and eerie.

Almost haunted.

Especially in the redhead's eyes.

"Finally caught up to you!" White jumped off her Samurott and ran towards Silver. Her anger was building up. So as she stopped behind him, the young woman planted a good fist on his arm. "Don't ever run off like that again, you prick!"

She expected the boy to snap at her, but he didn't. Silver just stood there; motionless like a statue. It confused White. She tilted her body and stared at him. "Silver?"

His eyes were wide as plates. His mouth was slightly agape. Silver looked stunned. No. He looked _horrified_. As if he saw a ghost. White followed his gaze. She gasped to see the crumbled mansion. "Oh wow…"

"White!" N called her name. He jumped off Volcarona. Mouthing a quick thank you to the sun Pokémon, he ran towards the two. "White, are you o- Wow…" He too showed his awe at the majestic mansion. "White, what is this place?" He scanned the area. It was filled with brown rocky walls and thick trees. He looked upwards. There standing proudly but frailly was the volcano. The mansion was the only manmade construction there, as if the place was hidden from society.

Silver could feel his hands fisting tightly. He gulped heavily, feeling like swallowing daggers rather than saliva. White looked at the redhead. A sip of worry whooshed into her. She waved her hand in front of his face, in which she obtained no response. "Hey, dude, you okay?"

Her voice, so soft and toned with concern; it once again reminded him of Kotone.

Silver let out a long exhale and nodded. "I'm fine." His voice was blank and croaked; a complete opposite of what he had just said.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed on his belt. Feraligatr stood in front of his trainer, eyes shined in worry. 'Dude?'

"I'm fine." He hissed again. Eyes down, Silver felt suffocated. He could barely breathe. He wanted to get out of his island _now_.

Sadly, Sneasel barged through the huge hole of the mansion – which was supposedly to be a door there – and barked inside. His voice echoed inside the wide room.

N looked at White, who was eyes staring in worry at Silver. "Sneasel says we should come inside. He thinks Kotone might be nearby."

Correct that. _Now_ Silver couldn't breathe right. He swore his heart stopped for a millisecond. His eyes snapped open, vision blurry from the sudden rays of sunlight. _Kotone's here…_ His mind stayed glued to the thought. His heart silently prayed, yet at the same time doubting if he ever deserved to be here in the first place.

N stared at his two humans friends. "Shall we?"

White pursed her lips, and then finally nodded. "Silver, look, if you don't wanna come in, it's okay. We'll check the pl-"

"No." Silver snarled quietly, surprising her shut. Her caring attitude was beginning to horribly bug him. Mostly because she sounded a lot like _his_ brunette. "I told you. I'm fine. Let's go." Before even giving White a chance to speak, Silver walked past her and stomped into the discarded building.

White gawked in stupor. N blinked in confusion. He looked at the petite woman. "What is the matter with him?"

It took her 15 seconds to shake her head. "I don't know. But I don't like this place." A frown bestowed upon her face. "I just really hope Kotone's safe."

A grip on her hand gave her a slight shock. White looked at her left palm, which was being held by N's hand. She gazed into his emerald eyes. A smile, ever so innocent and calming, flashed before her aqua eyes. It have White a sense of serenity, something that she desperately needed right now.

"Everything will be fine," he muttered softly. N brought her hand and kissed the back of her palm. Her face turned into a nice shade of pink. She quickly looked away and let out an irritated, also bashful scoff. The young man watched too many romantic movies lately.

Even so, that did help her ease her nerves. Sighing slowly, she posed a small smile. "Come on." She took out her remaining four Pokéballs and released them. N did the same and released Zoroark and Zekrom. After a brief mental conversation, the two dragons agreed to stay outside and guard the place while their trainers went inside the huge mansion.

Once they entered, another gasp breathed through their mouths.

The interior was far bigger than they expected. The ground was covered in black soot. Glass and tiles were shattered everywhere. A few Rattatas were seen scurrying in and out of tiny holes. There were no furniture; just an empty, wide space of a hall.

It looked hollow. Like something from a child's nightmare.

N took a step forward. Sounds of his footstep echoed inside the hallway. He moved his other foot, also making the loud tapping noises. "What is this place?" he asked.

Zoroark shrugged, but eyes in awe himself. 'I don't know. But this place looks kinda deserted.'

'And dry.' Samurott added bitterly. He felt his lips getting chapped. He could feel heat everywhere. The sun was shining brightly. And thanks to an absence of a roof, he was getting a free, not needed tan.

'I think it's a great place.' Volcarona hummed blissfully as she bathed in the warm sunlight.

'It has an eerie atmosphere to it. I love it!' Banette floated through a crumbled pillar or two. If it were night time when they got here, the marionette Pokémon would be even more thrilled.

Lillil cringed and flinched at the disgusting webs and soot. 'Eww eww eww!' She quickly jumped on Zebstrika's back. 'There are ashes everywhere! And it's hot. And my feet are dirty. And I hate this place!' She rambled in hatred. The thunderbolt Pokémon rolled his eyes and just walked forth. If he were to argue with the Lilligant, it will be never ending. So it was a good decision to just keep his mouth shut.

White checked an empty room. The sight of a long table and a few broken chairs told her it was the dining room. She slowly entered, eyes moving everywhere, searching for clues; anything that lead to Kotone.

N had gone to the hall across her. His eyes scanned the area. Curiosity began kicking in each minute. The place was grand. Not as grand as his old home but still. His nose flinched to feel dust wafting in his nostrils. "This place is a mess…"

'Uh, N, I think you should see this.'

N looked at Zoroark. Once faced, his eyes widened. Standing in front of them was a huge glass-stained closet. Its height almost touched the ceiling. He walked a few steps closer, and stopped next to his friend. "Woah…"

Most of the items in it were broken, shattered, and turned into dust. But there was one piece of statue; only showing a shape of a head. The figure was vague, its facial features destroyed years ago. It was coated in Weedle webs and grey dusts. N leaned forward, trying to catch a better glimpse. He saw a word written below the statue, yet it was barely readable enough.

"O…van…" he muttered quietly, mind trying to decipher on the meaning. "What is an 'ovan'?"

Zoroark shrugged. 'Beats me. But judging by this huge cabinet, the person of that statue must have achieved a lot.'

N's lips formed into a straight line. He stood up straight, head looking up. "But why do I have the feeling that this 'achievement' is something I shouldn't be happy for…"

"Welcome guests! We've been wondering when you were arriving!"

N and Zoroark froze. They exchanged disbelieving glances. Their ears weren't deceiving them; someone other than them was present inside the mansion.

Sounds of loud tapping poked his eardrums. The greenette turned around. He saw White running out of the dining room and turning left. Her Pokémon followed suit. He could feel the intense atmosphere coming from her team. And he was guessing this will get ugly. "Come on, Zoroark!" N said to his friend, and dashed towards the scene.

* * *

Silver walked quietly. His feet tapped lightly. A few minutes later, his feet would just slide on the floor, being too discouraged to even move any further.

Her team of six were all completely worried for their trainer. As they moved closer, a strong sense of aura slipped into them. Even Alakazam twitched once or twice, indicating that something fishy was near.

They finally stopped into the middle of the hall. To them, it was probably the biggest room they had ever been in. Even bigger than Kotone's place. And what was more amazing; there was a wide balcony and two long, huge stairs. Both of them were curved and constructed in an arching position, with the ends of the stairs meeting against one another on the ground level. Alakazam stood beside Silver, protecting him from any harm. His other five marched forward, their eyes, ears, and noses scanning, hearing, and smelling the area.

'I hate this…' Feraligatr muttered grimly.

Sneasel looked at his friend, lips curved into a small frown. 'Me neither. But I have this odd feeling, and I smell something; like Kotone's scent. She has gotta be here.'

The big jaw Pokémon let out a sigh. 'I hope you're right.' He looked at Silver, whose head was downcast. 'I can't stand watching Silver acting like that anymore…'

Sneasel looked behind him. His frown grew bigger. 'Me too…'

Silver stood quietly. The bangs of his crimson looks were shading his eyes. His hands were fisting in and out. Ever since he stepped inside, his heart wouldn't stop racing. _Why am I here…?_ He kept asking himself that. He swore in his life: Never would he return to this horrible place. But apparently irony loves to tease him. And misery just adores his company. He could feel the presence of his past closing in.

_-Don't you miss it? You should be happy coming back here. It is your home.-_

Silver flinched. His own voice – his demented conscience – spoke to him. The young man shook his head. _This isn't my home._

As he shut his eyes, he could actually see his own self flashing an evil smile at him. _–Of course it is. You know this place from head to toe. You were born here. Your roots are right here in this very mansion. If I were you, I'd be proud.-_ The voice was filled with sarcasm and mockery. It stung Silver right in the heart. His shaking had gotten fiercer. _No._

But the figure's smile widened like Cheshire cat. Its eyes opened, revealing black, iris-less orbs. _–Face it. No matter how far you go, how fast you run, how long it has been, the past will always stay in your blood.-_His eerie self gave a low, croaked chuckle. _–And the best thing about this is…there is nothing you can do about it.-_

"Shut. Up." His voice snarled deeply under his heavy breath. Silver wanted to scream, to yell madly. He wanted to scream out Kotone's name, calling out for her so that they can get the hell out of here. His temple of thoughts echoed with the sound of a maniacal cackle; his own laugh. He shut his ears, trying to prevent the noise from booming in his mind. "Shut. Up!"

Before his Pokémon could even turn to see his trainer's crazed wellbeing,

"Welcome guests! We've been wondering when you were arriving!"

All of them looked up. Eyes widened in shock to see the four executives standing on the grand balcony.

"Prepare for trouble," Petrel said cockily, arms crossed against his chest.

"Make it double," Proton finished the sentence. His Golbat perched on his head, eyes hungrily glaring at his enemy.

Silver's Pokémon growled in loathe and hatred. They all crouched in defence position. A few minutes later, White, N, and the Pokémon appeared inside the hall.

Archer smirked amusingly. "Great. Everyone is here. Oh what joy!"

"Where's Kotone?" White asked angrily, eyes on the bluenette. She cursed mentally to see and hear Archer laughing as a response.

"Oh come on. Don't spoil the mood. We're making a little presentation here especially just for you," Ariana mocked blissfully. The more White looked at her, the more she wanted to rip that redheaded woman's mouth off her face.

Archer chuckled and took a few steps forward. "So, I presume you are all wondering why we're in this mansion?"

Everyone was quiet. White huffed angrily. She tried to set her mind straight. Any wrong move and they might lose Kotone – forever. N was getting peeved as well, but just like White, his rational side was keeping him together.

But as for Silver, he was getting more and more agitated. Yet his mouth stayed shut. He was on the verge of breaking into another mental rage.

Taking it as a 'yes', Archer smiled and continued. "You see, this place was once owned by a powerful man. He was an influential person. Men respected him. Women crazed for him. People were in awe at his own presence. There was not a single thing he can't do. Not a single item he can't buy. This luxurious mansion was once an icon to not only Cinnabar Island, but to Kanto."

He paced left and right, hands folded behind his back. "But you see, this man had motives; vision far greater than any person could ever think of. So he called out to society. He wanted people to agree to his dreams, to let them see the perfection in his eyes. And," Archer chuckled, "you can say he obtained the best executives he ever had." The man spread his arms, implying himself and the other three. The Rockets huffed in pride.

"Team Rocket was the best decision he ever made in his life. As years passed, he dreamt of something else; he wanted something big. Something powerful than the great Arceus itself. He thought to himself, 'What if I could change the world? Make it my domain? A world to call my own?' And thus, as each day ticked by, his dreams had only gotten stronger and convincing." Archer stopped. He faced the trainers below. Flashing a nasty grin, he said, "And that is why this was born." With a snap of his finger, Proton pulled a lever on the wall.

A hole warped open beside the Rockets. Smoke began pouring out and something else was slowly rising up to the balcony.

All were shocked to see the one and only Mewtwo standing before them.

White and N were getting baffled and confused by the minute. "Mewtwo…was created by Team Rocket…?" she asked unwarily, voice in utter disbelief.

"That is nonsense!" N shouted angrily. "All Pokémon are created by Arceus. All of them are born naturally from eggs! How can Mewtwo be manmade, especially from maniacs like you?"

Ariana chuckled as she petted Arbok's head. "Oh, you'll be surprised, honey."

Archer shook his head, his mouth giving a loud 'tsk tsk'. "Obviously you people seem to underestimate Team Rocket's abilities. You see, Mewtwo was one of that man's most successful experiments. It was a fully functional, fully breathing, living Pokémon. It was created to obey his every command. To help him with his quest for world domination. This Pokémon was his key to ultimate success."

"And that isn't all!" He cheered almost too joyfully. "Just as he thought nothing will ever make him happier than he already was, he actually met someone. He met a wonderful woman." Archer clasped his hands together, laughing as if the moment was meant to be celebrated. "A woman that not only loved him with all her heart, but who actually understood his dreams. Now isn't that romantic?" The executive faked a sniff. "Thinking about it makes me want to shed a tear."

His comrades laughed in amusement. But N, White, and the Pokémon growled in complete resent. "Bastards…" The brunette cursed under her breath.

But Silver still stood quietly. He felt like his ears were bleeding as they talked. His trembles had gotten more blatant. His jaw was tightening. His teeth were grinding in an ear-pitching screech.

"Oh, and did I mention that that man married the woman of his dreams?" Archer said happily. "The two lived a happy life. His organization that he built from scratch followed his every command and obeyed his every word. But the happiest day of his life…well, it would have to be the birth of his first born son." The bluenette looked at Silver, his grin horrifyingly wider as he snarled, "Don't you agree, Silver?"

The others moved their attention to Silver. Aqua and emerald eyes widened in dumbstruck. _Son?_ Both thought in unison. Their eyes never moving away as Silver just stood like a statue.

Another cackle burst inside the hollow hall. "Shut up…" Silver's mouth breathed faintly. His voice was barely a sound.

"Yes. They have son! Isn't that wonderful?" The executive continued. "Finally, a child to follow in the man's footsteps. An heir was born. The man's blood was flowing in the youngling's veins. He was very proud. He was the happiest man alive. And the wife herself was practically crying in bliss and thanking the heavens for their first born."

"Shut up…" The redhead's voice toned up a bit.

"But sadly, nothing last forever…" The blue-haired man walked towards Mewtwo. The genetic Pokémon's eyes were shut, body motionless like a mannequin. "You see, as the kid grew older, the man soon realized that his son wanted nothing to do with his organization. That shattered his old man's heart."

"Shut up…" Silver's voice grew huskier.

"And to make things worse, his own wife – his soulmate and the love of his life – left him when she found out the truth in his dreams. 'It was horrible', she said. 'They were crazy', she said. All of this only deepened the wound on the man's heart. He lost his son, and now he lost his wife."

"Shut-" Silver couldn't take it anymore.

Archer's voice was getting louder. "And in the end, Mewtwo, his own creation, betrayed him and left. But before he flew off as a traitor," his arms waved around the old, abandoned mansion, "he destroyed this place in a blink of an eye. Everything was annihilated. His house. His motives. His dreams."

"Shut-" Silver's hands covered his ears.

The executive's eyes shined in a grim gleam as he focused on Silver; his smile ever so wide, it almost reached his ears. "His own wife."

"_SHUT UP!_" Silver yelled at the top of his lungs. "_SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT THE FUCK UP!_"

His Pokémon roared savagely and plunged towards Team Rocket.

The executive's Pokémon rocketed down.

Taken aback by the terrifying scream, White snapped herself back to reality and commanded her team to attack.

Everything happened so fast.

Weezing released a huge gunk of poisonous goo. But Banette, Alakazam, and Gengar easily evaded it. The three circled around the poison gas Pokémon, and released Psychic and Shadow Ball.

Magneton and Zebstrika released a powerful, blinding Thunder. It hit Golbat right on the stomach. The zap was so ferocious, it produced holes in the bat Pokémon's wings. As Golbat was weakly flopping down, Volcarona flew above him and unleashed a deadly Flamethrower.

Arbok zoomed towards the flowering Pokémon. Her jaw wide opened, ready to gush out Gunk Shot and gnaw the grass-type's head off. Lillil stood calmly. Her expression was never one of panic. An inch before Arbok's fangs could touch Lillil's face, the elegant flowering Pokémon twirled and released Leaf Storm. In a blink of an eye, thousand of leaves flew from her body and towards the cobra. Thick, sharp vines appeared from the ground, wrapping and strangling the dumbstruck poison-type.

Houndoom breathed a wave of Flamethrower as he jumped off the balcony. Samurott and Feraligatr both flashed sneaky grins against one another. The two water starters released Hydro Cannon, completely putting out the fiery attack and drowning Houndoom along the way. The formidable Pokémon took out his sharp sword and rocketed towards the wobbling dark Pokémon. In a split second, Samurott formed a long line on Houndoom's body, making him yelp an agonizing roar. Engulfed in his own rage, Feraligatr opened his big jaw and clutched the dark Pokémon's frail body. His horrifyingly sharp fangs pierced through Houndoom's body, ripping his black coat and skin.

'This is for hurting my Silver,' Feraligatr snarled wildly, and violently threw Houndoom to a wall.

Suddenly, hundreds of wild Koffings, Ekans, and Zubats began to crowd in. N and Zoroark flashed a small sneer.

'Shall I?' Zoroark asked N, eyes gleaming naughtily.

N chuckled dryly. He despised hurting Pokémon, even if they were the ones threatening. So if they were ever stuck in any danger – like now – the greenette had a solution. "You shall."

Eyes gleaming in a bright red shine, Zoroark released his attack.

A second later, all the wild Pokémon were stunned and shocked.

For they soon realized they were now trapped in a deep, dark jungle. They scattered and barked in panic. Some even stood there, confused and dazed at their situation.

N and Zoroark laughed to see the wild Pokémon's antics. The illusion had worked; they were now completely distracted. "Good job, friend."

The illusion fox Pokémon huffed arrogantly. 'Well, I am the best.'

The four executives could only gawk in stupor. "These bastards are stronger than I thought," Petrel muttered grimly as he stared at the intense battle.

Archer growled silently. _No. I will not lose this time! Never again!_ Suddenly, a figure began to walk on the left stairs. As the fog cleared, the soon realized it was none other than Silver.

His body posture was so sure. His red bangs covered his eyes, hiding his enraged gaze. The bluenette hissed a loud, "No!" Looking at the sleeping legendary, Archer pressed the big red button.

In seconds, Mewtwo's eyes snapped right open. "Attack him!" The blue-haired executive commanded. Without a thought, the genetic Pokémon floated up and released Psycho Cut at Silver.

Like the speed of lightning, a thick icy barrier was formed right in front of the redhead. Once hit, the ice shattered into a million pieces. Sneasel propped on Silver's head. His eyes narrowed in anger and demise. His lips curled upwards into a ruthless snarl. His trainer halted his steps, standing only a few feet away from the executives.

"Where is Kotone." He said bluntly, eyes downcast.

Archer chuckled grimly. "Who?"

Silver faced upfront. His silver eyes widened as they could be. His neck tensed up. His fist clutched until his nails dug deeper into his skin.

The bluenette let out a wheezy laugh. "Ah right. Kotone. I almost forgot about her."

"Give her back to me, _you fucking bastards!_" His voice shrilled under the sounds of crashing and roaring. He stomped one foot up the stair.

The executive shook his head and crossed his arm. "Silver, Silver. You never seem change do you? Looks like you still have that temper-"

"_I said give her back to me now!_" At the same time, Sneasel unleashed Blizzard.

Sadly, before the attack could stab the Rocket's faces, Mewtwo's purple shield was swiftly formed before them. It didn't leave a single crack, unlike the sharp claw's barrier.

Archer chuckled amusingly. "You are such a hasty little boy." Flicking his fingers as a command, Petrel pulled another lever. This time, a secret entrance opened on the ground level. All stopped as the sound of an elevator rang in their eardrums. All heads turned to the newly formed hole.

Soon, gasps and screams of fear were heard in the huge hall.

For it was Kotone's Pokémon. And all of them were covered in bloody scars and bruises – and barely breathing.

'Dude!' Feraligatr shouted in horror. He quickly dashed to the fallen pack. White swiftly rushed to their aid, hands swiftly looking for some Max Revives inside her satchel. N – completely traumatized by the sight – ran towards them and hastily shouted at White to hurry up.

The Johto water starter held Typhlosion's body. He brought the volcano Pokémon's neck up to face him. Tears began to form in his eyes. Luckily, Typhlosion was still alive and breathing. Unluckily, they didn't have much time. 'Dude, what happened…?' He asked, voice cracking from the cries.

Typhlosion coughed hoarsely. He opened his eyes. A trail of blood trickled down his mouth as he weakly whimpered, 'Ko…tone…'

Before Feraligatr could ask more, Archer burst into a fit of maniacal cackles. All eyes turned to face him. Silver gawked in utter stupor and complete aghast. For the first time in his life, Kotone's Pokémon were actually defeated – terribly defeated. _Then that means Kotone…_ He quickly snapped his attention towards the executives. "Where's Kotone?!" Unwarily, his legs moved faster, not caring whether he'll get sliced by Mewtwo or not. "_Where's Kotone?!_"

Archer grinned maliciously. "Oh, did you know? We have a new member in the team now." Clapping his hands once, his comrades gave away for Silver to face the huge tube.

For the person standing behind the glass tube – was none other than Kotone herself.

Wearing a full on Rocket outfit.

Silver stopped completely in his tracks. His body froze to the bone. His brain shut down on him. _What…_ His eyes were wide and round. His mouth was agape and hanging. _What the…_

Kotone walked towards the crowd. She flashed a sly smirk. Hand holding her left hip, she said, "Hey there bastard."

All were speechless without words. White and N felt like something had slapped them stupid. All the Pokémon stopped; eyes wide on the Rocket brunette.

Ariana giggled happily. "Silver," She looked at the stunned redhead. "Meet Kotone, the newest member of Team Rocket."

And just like that, his old dream flashed before his eyes.

The cold dark abyss. The helpless wandering. The Rocket hideout. Him standing before his father. Him denying his father's wish for Silver to become the next heir. His father calling out a Rocket grunt.

Then actually realizing Kotone was the grunt. Her eyes were so filled with hate. There was no love. No care. No pure. No soul. He could still see the young woman wearing the Rocket outfit; the black, hideous outfit tightly hugging every curve of her body. The huge, bloody 'R' painted on the front of her shirt.

Him realizing he was also wearing a Rocket uniform. Him trying to tear the uniform apart, but to no avail. Her kicking him right on the head.

Her pointing the gun right on his forehead.

_"There is no room for a weak person like you."_

Her pulling the trigger.

And right now, that nightmare – one that he had sworn to forget – had changed into reality.

"N-no…" Silver breathed weakly, as if his soul had drifted away from his body, leaving an empty shell. His legs felt horribly weak. His arms dropped frailly on his sides.

Archer smirked evilly and gripped Kotone's shoulders. "Meet the new heir of Team Rocket, Kotone!"

And just like that, Silver fell to his knees.

"N-n…" His mouth stammered dumbly without a sound. Tears began to form circles in his eyes.

Kotone let out a dry laugh. She took a few steps forward. Her black, knee-high and high heel boots tapped loudly as she approached the paralyzed redhead. She stopped by only a foot away. Kotone leaned forward, until their foreheads almost clashed against each other. "Guess what Silver," she purred lovingly, making his heart shake and erupt into a billion pieces. Oh how he missed that voice; that sweet, sultry, angelic voice. But now, to his demolished dismay, that angel was now in a body of a demon.

"I'm in Team Rocket now. Yayy!" Kotone tapped her fingers lightly. Silver gulped heavily. His mind was blank as to what to do. His conscience had given up on working. Any trace of sanity left was drained completely. The brunette's finger brushed his cheek, trailing down to his chin.

Her voice. Her touch. Her scent. It was killing him.

The young woman propped his chin up with her index finger, letting him stare right into her gaze. Her eyes were brown and shining. But then, all of a sudden, her eyes shined into a dark shade of purple. There were no hazels. There were no irises. There was no shine.

There was no Kotone.

"So sadly, there is no room for a weak person like you. So you must die." Kotone purred adorably.

Every form of sanity. Every form of reality. It died on him like a snap.

She pushed the stunned redhead away. "Mewtwo, finish them all." The young Rocket commanded her Pokémon; voice stern and cold.

Mewtwo's eyes began to gleam. His body began to glow into a bright purple.

Completely mortified but thinking fast, White yelled, "Reshiram Psychic now!"

Before anyone could blink, a bright blue fire formed around others except the executives, Kotone, and Mewtwo. It danced and twirled majestically, flames raging up into the sky.

And just like that, they disappeared into thin air.


	13. 12

Out in the cold evenings of Route 2, a few Rattatas were scurrying by. Pidgeys flew from above, all heading towards their respective nests. The sky was painted in a golden hue. The sounds of rustling leaves acted as music to the peaceful scenery. All was peace and quiet.

But that serenity disappeared as bright blue flames swirled from above. It touched the grassy ground, shaped into an elegant tornado. The flames receded into blue dusts in seconds, revealing the Pokémon and humans inside it.

Feeling weak from the shock, White almost lost her balance. Thankfully, N was by her side to grip her shoulders, supporting her. "What…" she gasped, half in fatigue and another half in horror. "What just happened…?"

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. Everything was supposed to go fine. They were supposed to have a normal, fun day. Kotone would show White around, her bask in the beauty of Johto. They would have a Pokémon battle or two. Heck, maybe even Silver might join in the fun and battle her too.

Never did she – or anyone – guessed this would take a 360 degree turn.

She looked upfront. There standing in front of her was the redhead. Her anger built up. Her rage boiled inside. Releasing N's grip, she stomped towards Silver. "You…" White growled maliciously, "What the hell happened?!"

Silver didn't move an inch, as if a mannequin had taken his place. His head was down. His arms stayed rigid by his sides. His long red hair cascaded down the sides of his face. Never did he flinch, nor did he fidget. His expression was blank and sorrowful. His eyes were clouded with empty emotions.

White trembled each waking minute. "Hey!" The woman shouted. "Can you listen to me, dumbass?" Her hands balled up into fists. Without waiting for another second, she aimed a punch on his face.

Like a robot, Silver easily clenched her fist, stopping her.

White was surprised. Silver looked upfront, adding more to her shock.

Tears streamed down his cheeks. Teeth harshly gritted and pressed against his jaw. His pupils dilated into a size not normal for a human being. "Stop it." Two words hissed like poisonous venoms. "Just. Please."

Her anger immediately turned into fear. White tried to retract her hand, but Silver's grip was far stronger. Sensing the danger for his beloved trainer and friend, Samurott and N cautiously stood behind the brunette. The formidable Pokémon's sharp sword was held tightly in the starter's paw, while N's hands were slowly trying to reach White's shoulder.

"Let her go." N said sternly and coldly. Images of the past struck a chill in his heart and spine, making him panicked for his beloved human friend.

The brunette tried to pull her hand away. But the more she tried, the harder he clutched. "That…hurt…" She hissed acidly, feeling his hand shook on her fist.

Feraligatr and the others crouched behind Silver, trying to pull their trainer away from hurting White any further.

"Why…" The redhead breathed faintly, not even a squeak.

"Silver," N whispered carefully. "Let White go, please."

Unfortunately, Silver shook his head. "Why…" All kinds of thoughts, questions, and emotions haunted him. His past. His memory. His own life flashed before his eyes. All his nightmares were turning into horrific realities. All the ghouls of his past appeared from the dead to haunt his waking living. The only person that loved him; truly cared for him despite who or what he was – had disappeared from his life.

His thoughts unwarily affected his actions, tightening his grip. He scooted one foot forward, inching towards the petrified brunette. "Why…"

White leaned back, trying to stay away from the delusional man. "Let…me…"

"_TYROARRR!_"

Before anyone could react from the startling sound, something pounced on Silver. It threw the man off guard. White stumbled backwards, but was swiftly caught by N.

Silver shouted in pain as his back hit the grassy ground. But as he thought it couldn't get any worse, something was roughly clutching his neck. He felt sharp nails – or to be exact, claws – piercing his bare skin. He opened his eyes, and stayed rigidly frozen; swamped with fear to see Typhlosion – blazing red eyes wide with rage and fangs snarled up – right above him.

'This is all _your fault!_' Typhlosion snarled maniacally. 'If Kotone hadn't met you since the first time we met, we wouldn't be stuck in this predicament! You are the reason she is suffering now! You are the reason I lost her! You are the Arceus damn reason she is gone!" His paw pressed Silver's throat. The man croaked hollowly, feeling air being cut off from him.

The atmosphere got intense. All wave of emotions surged inside every living being around. 'Let him go!' Feraligatr barked madly. His body crouched down, ready to tackle Typhlosion. This time, no sense of friendship, neither of his usual dopey self was present. Instead, all there was in him was the violent, brutal attitude of a predator ready to kill its prey.

'You rancid, despicable, son of a bastard…' The volcano Pokémon hissed spitefully, ignoring his own best friend. 'Kotone always sees the good in you. And I've tolerated with her ever since. I've been patient with all the rotten things you did and said to her _even_ when she was being nice to you.' His other paw pressed Silver's chest; right on the scars. Silver let out another faint, weak gasp. The pain began to build up. 'She treated you with love and care, and you replied that act of kindness with hate and foul mockery.' He inched closer, letting his nozzle touch Silver's nose. 'I never understood or knew why my very own precious Kotone would even care for a monster like you…'

The man was dumbstruck to the bone. His mind was blank. His gaze was shrouded in tears. His lips parted and trembled in terror. All he could hear were manic barks and roars. All he could feel was the huge starter's scorching breath, and his heartbeat racing. All he could smell was blood from his lightly torn skin.

Everyone was speechless beyond words. N was the most baffled. Never would he think a Pokémon would say such things. Typhlosion looked deranged; demented even.

His body froze in utter horror as the volcano Pokémon turned his attention to him. 'You!' N gulped heavily. He didn't move a muscle, his lips only stuttering a, "Y-yes?"

Typhlosion's upper lip twitched upwards. 'You understand me perfectly. Translate what I just told him! I want him to know how I really feel! I want him to suffer just like I am now!'

The greenette was left in a stupefied state. Out of reflex, he quickly shook his head. "I- No! I will not translate such vile words! I know you are in a lot of pain and loss right now, but you as the leader of the pack should calm down and-"

'Fuck you!' Typhlosion spat horridly, stunning N shut. Zoroark and Zekrom growled heavily as the volcano Pokémon cursed at their beloved friend.

Feraligatr huffed out loud. His anger was swiftly building up like a stack of bricks. 'Get. Off. Him. _Now!_'

The volcano Pokémon cackled evilly under the bright orange sky. He was out of his mind. 'How could you love this monster…' He tightened his grip on Silver's neck. The man let out another agonizing gasp. Typhlosion's claws sunk deeper, creating a blood red hole.

The scent of blood whirled in the air. Silver's team of six hissed and roared acidly at the ruthless sight and cold-blooded smell.

'Typhlosion please…' Ampharos pleaded weakly. She tried to stand up straight, but her wobbly knees were stating that she won't be up for too long. 'Don't…Don't hurt him. K-Ko…' She coughed hoarsely, unable to finish her sentence. Ampharos fell to her back, but Lillil quickly held the light Pokémon's shoulders, helping her.

The more Typhlosion looked at her beloved fallen comrade, the madder he became. He looked at the frail man under him. Silver's eyes were blinking slowly. He could barely keep them open. He breathed faintly with his mouth. But the huge starter's flames were sucking in all the oxygen, making Silver harder to breathe.

As Typhlosion stared into the man's silver eyes, he saw empty gazes. But for a brief moment, he saw someone; a smiling Kotone in those eyes. The Pokémon could feel his fur stand up. He froze instantly. The memory of him meeting Kotone for the first time danced in his mind. He saw himself as the Cyndaquil he once was, happily cuddling up to his brand new trainer.

* * *

_"Aaaaa you are such a precious! Hey, do you want to travel with me and have some fun?" Kotone asked blissfully as she brought the fire mouse Pokémon up to face her._

_Cyndaquil nodded as fast as he could. 'Yes yes yes pwease!'_

_Taking it as a yes, Kotone cheered, "Yayy! We're best buddies now! Nothing can break us apart!" The two jumped and squealed in joy, celebrating their newfound friendship together._

* * *

Typhlosion could remember it perfectly in his mind. He could see the vision of his trainer in Silver's frightened eyes. Time ticked by, and finally, a tear rolled down his cheek. The fire starter shut his eyes tightly. His fangs clenched together, holding back the cries and wallows of despair. 'Thanks to you…I've lost her…' he muttered woefully, barely reachable to anyone's ears. Typhlosion opened his eyes; each of them as round as they could be. 'A monster like you should never live in this world…'

Inhaling sharply, Typhlosion opened his mouth, ready to release Flamethrower. Silver could only lie still like a dead carcass, and the only thing he saw was a raging orange swirl in the volcano Pokémon's mouth.

As the image of a smiling Kotone whirled in his mind like a broken movie, Typhlosion released Flamethrower.


	14. 13

Everything was moving too fast.

Before anyone could blink, the huge volcano Pokémon released his attack.

But before he could exhale, Feraligatr plunged on the fire starter's neck.

Resulting with the flames shot down right next to Silver's face; its spark crackling his neck and left cheek.

Silver screamed in pain; finally a sound emitting from him. His Pokémon crowded to his aid. Feraligatr and Typhlosion roared and battled savagely. Scratches, deep bites, flames, and a wave of water were everywhere.

Feraligatr threw Typhlosion to a tree. The fire starter crashed on it, and it ended with the tree being broken into a million wooden pieces. Typhlosion quickly stood on all fours and rocketed towards his best friend. He jumped up in the air and rolled into a ball; attacking with his Flame Wheel of a cannon ball.

Feraligatr gripped the round starter with his huge claws. But as a result, his body lost its balance and the water starter got slammed down on his back.

Typhlosion stretched his body back to his original shape and landed a heavy punch on Feraligatr's jaw. 'Stay out of my way or I will kill you!' The volcano Pokémon shrieked madly, his eyes blinded with malice and vengeance.

Even though Feraligatr knew his best friend didn't actually mean it, but the empty, rage-inducing threat broke his heart a little. His own best friend – the Pokémon who he spent growing up together with ever since they were in eggs – was planning to destroy him if he got in the way. Taking one sharp breath, the water starter opened his bruised jaw and released Hydro Cannon. Luckily, it repelled Typhlosion off him and up in the air.

Feraligatr jumped back to his feet and roared, 'You calm down bro!'

A loud crash was heard as Typhlosion crashed to the ground. He shook his head in dizziness. His skin rippled on the side of his right eye. The raging beast stood on all fours, stared upfront and snarled viciously. 'Do _not_call me bro! I am not friends with a murderer's Pokémon!'

Okay, rage-inducing or not, that _seriously_ broke Feraligatr's heart.

A low, painful groan vibrated in Typhlosion's ears, making them twitch upright. The fire starter turned his attention towards the sound. The others were helping Silver; enraging him even more.

Without haste, Typhlosion dashed towards Silver.

Realizing his trainer was in more danger, Feraligatr came back to reality and chased after his best friend. 'Oh no you don't!'

White and N stared in complete aghast. Her body froze to the bone to see so much destruction and violence. Her blood boiled up to her brain. N himself was getting nauseous and bewildered by the moment.

Finally, in unison, both of them yelled, "_Reshiram! Zekrom! DO SOMETHING!_"

'That is enough! Both of you!' Reshiram roared triumphantly into the cloudy skies. Zekrom roared as well, releasing bright blue bolts. Using his Psychic, Reshiram lifted the two huge males up in the air, stopping them. Banette quickly barged in and used her Hypnosis on the Johto starters.

Their eyes blinked once, twice, and then finally seized to a shut.

Both of them finally dozed into a deep sleep.

At the same time, rain began to pour down. 'Oops,' Zekrom muttered guiltily. 'It seems one of my thunder cracked open a cloud that was filled with water. Sorry brother.' The deep black Pokémon scratched the back of his neck and flashed a silly grin.

Reshiram sighed ruefully. He despised getting wet. 'It is okay, brother.'

Everything finally calmed down.

Everything – but not everyone.

White fell to her knees. Sounds of splashing puddles were heard from her. Her eyes remained open to see the destruction before her. Even in the rain, the faint scent of blood still lingered in the humid air. Her lips were parted and shaking as tears was the only thing that streamed down her cheeks. White covered her face with her trembling hands.

As time ticked on, all she could think of was, _Kotone…_

"Eww, seriously, have you guys ever heard of cleaning?" Kotone nagged as she walked around the rundown laboratory. She swiped a dusty table with her gloved finger. The woman made a disgusted expression and shook her head. "If Giovanni saw this, he would kill all of you."

The three executives, however, could barely decipher her words at all. They were all blank and blur at the situation happening in front of them: Kotone was a member of Team Rocket.

Ariana looked at Archer. The man leaned against a wall, arms crossed. "Mind telling me why our arch enemy has become one of us?"

The bluenette took one long breath. Proton and Petrel also gave a confusing stare, both curious at the unbelievable manner. Archer looked at the device in his hand. Honestly, he himself was slightly shocked. Yet, he kept a poker face as he explained. "You see, Mewtwo is the most powerful psychic Pokémon there is. He has one power no other Pokémon has: controlling minds. And when Kotone touched Mewtwo, it triggered with her mind. The shocks that were given to Mewtwo immediately transferred to Kotone once in contact. And apparently, since those two were close before, it affected her mind and memory completely. And quickly than I expected too." He tapped his chin, head wandered in a thought. "I guess she'll have to do…" His lips muttered in a low tone.

Yet enough to be heard by Ariana. "'She'll have to do'?" Ariana took a few steps closer. _What does he mean by 'she'll have to do'?_ Her attention was fully on him.

Archer let out a sigh and stared at the young brunette. Kotone was walking around, mouth still blabbering about stuff he didn't care. He pursed his lips.

"Archer," she said. Her voice toned down into a scowl. Ariana poked his shoulder. "What do you mean by that?" The executive didn't reply, and that irritated her even more.

Archer looked to his side and tilted downwards to face her. Their faces were close. Their eyes met. He could see the tension in her. She could see the truth hidden in him. Another sigh escaped his mouth. "To be honest," he said, "I wanted Silver to be the target."

Her eyes widened in shock. Petrel and Proton stood behind her, also having the same shocked reaction as her.

"What?" She asked dumbly. "You– That's your initial plan? To let Mewtwo brainwash Silver in joining us?" Her heart raced inside her chest. She couldn't believe her ears. It was shocking enough to discover about Mewtwo's powers, but imagining Silver being a part of Team Rocket?

To be honest, she liked that idea.

But Archer's next explanation shattered her spirits. "He is Giovanni's son. So I figured if Silver was a Rocket, it will give us an advantage. His intellect and ability that are exactly like Giovanni's will give us a heads up." He shrugged his shoulders. An eyebrow arched on his face. Ariana's mouth was slightly agape.

"Oh…" She muttered, voice hiding her disappointment. Guess he didn't really miss him at all.

The man pushed his body forward. He positioned himself so that he fully faced the petite executive. "But I figured since Kotone is the strongest trainer around, she will provide us enough profit. When we have full control over the most powerful trainer, then there will be no one stopping us." Archer laughed diabolically. Ariana looked away and huffed bitterly.

Petrel rolled his eyes. Proton looked at Kotone. The new Rocket member was now flipping through some old books on a crooked shelf. Kotone made a curious face and threw the notebook away. For some unknown reason, it sparked something in the youngest executive's eyes. He knew the brunette has charms and attractions of her own. Ever since they first met, she caught his attention – even though at that time, they were enemies.

"Mewtwo controls Kotone. And since I have full control over Mewtwo, that means I control the girl too." A sly smile carved the bluenette's face. He looked at the device. "Nothing will stop us now." Archer looked at Proton, who seemed distracted. "Proton!"

The man snapped his head to face their current leader. His body jumped to hear Archer's voice. "Y-yes?"

Thankfully, the bluenette didn't realize that Proton was silently gawking at Kotone. "You guard the perimeter. We don't know whether those brats would come back for a second round." He looked at Kotone, his smile back on his face. "But I doubt they will come back though."

All eyes were on Kotone. She was now skipping inside the room. Even with her mind being completely scrambled, she still maintained her adorable, perky self.

And the more Proton looked at her, the more his heartbeat paced.

* * *

The night covered the sky. Stars twinkled above them. The moon shined majestically. It stopped raining, much to their relief. But that was never enough to remove the misery raiding in them.

White sat on a log – which was from the broken tree – in front of a campfire. Her eyes were dull and heavy. Her body felt stiff and tired. Energy was drained from her. Her spirit was slowly flowing out of her. Suddenly, she felt something covering her body. A warm red blanket was placed on White's back. She looked up, only to see N giving an assuring smile to her.

Sadly, she had lost all her will to smile. White sighed in sorrow and looked down.

The tall man took a seat next to her. It wobbled the log, but the two didn't fall. "How are you feeling?" N asked, voice worried for her. White shook her head slowly.

"How do you think I feel?" She replied coldly. Her voice was harsh and squeaky. She rubbed her cold arms together. "I just lost my cousin. Team Rocket has stolen Mewtwo and is planning to use it for bad. Kotone's boyfriend has completely lost his mind. And to make matters worse, he almost got fried by a mad Typhlosion." She covered her face with her hands. "And right now, I'm having a massive headache…"

N posed a frown. He looked far to his right. Silver was sitting by the lake. He had been very quiet ever since the Typhlosion incident. And the fire starter himself? He was sitting on top of the biggest tree there was, trying his best to distance away from the man. Kotone's other Pokémon all sat near the volcano Pokémon, just in case he went berserk again. Silver's team of six crowded the redhead, both protecting and worrying for their statuesque trainer.

The green-haired man bit the insides of his cheeks. "I'm really sorry all of this is happening…" He muttered quietly, sharing the pain his girlfriend was feeling. "But Kotone isn't gone. She's still alive."

White didn't know whether it's the cranky talking or that she was just really tired, but her next words were, "In this case, she should be better off dead."

Emerald eyes widened in total aghast. "White!"

His voice jumped her. The brunette almost tripped off the log, but Samurott quickly gripped her. The formidable Pokémon eyed N in a way of him saying, 'Don't shriek you dumbass.'

N blinked in stupor. He shook his head and took a few deep breaths. White rubbed her throbbing temple. She felt cold, even with the blanket. Her arms prickled terribly as the wind got chillier. Sensing his trainer's discomfort, Samurott called out for Volcarona. In a few seconds, the sun Pokémon fluttered towards them and stopped behind White. Her four scaly legs clutched the woman's bare arms and her six majestic wings slowly wrapped around White; acting as her personal jacket.

The brunette huffed in ease as she felt warmth from Volcarona. Her hands cupped each another as it hid comfortably inside the sun Pokémon's wings. She looked at N, who gave her an uneasy expression. "I'm sorry…" She apologized grimly. "It's just…all of this is hitting me all at once. As much as I love Kotone, but I don't want to see her suffer like this." She shut her eyes. If it weren't for the fact that her tears had all dried up, she would have cried some more. "I don't want anyone to suffer like this…"

N slowly gripped her shoulder, giving her a soft squeeze. "Trust me. We'll find a way to solve this."

The woman chuckled bitterly, as if mocking the greenette's positive attitude. "And how do you suggest that?"

He stayed silent for a good minute. White was right: They were all dumbfounded about the situation. Still, he masked his emotions pretty well. "We will find a way. For now, you get some sleep. Your Pokémon and I myself are worried about you."

Volcarona and Samurott purred as an agreement to what to human said. White puckered her lips inside and let out an irritated puff. "How do you expect me to sleep with all this bullshit happening?"

N sighed. "You have to sleep, my dear White. Your mind is in a daze. Your body is tensing up. Your eyes are red and puffy. And to be honest, it's not very endearing to look at." He tried to hold back a smirk at his last sentence. Luckily, that earned him a cold stare from White – which was a good thing.

White rolled her eyes and puffed out some cold air. She glanced at the redhead near the lake. Her frown came back to her face. Her eyes glistened in a tearful glow. N followed her gaze and also looked at Silver. He stared at the woman next to him. Worry was written all over her face. It made N sad. He hated seeing the woman he loved being miserable. "His Pokémon are as awake as him. They could barely get some shut eye even if they wanted to. They'll protect Silver just in case he did anything…rash."

Even in the safe warmth of her Volcarona, White trembled in fear at the thought something bad would happen to Silver again. "Very well…" Finally, she gave in. She stood up properly, feeling wobbly from fatigue. Volcarona opened her wings and flapped them up in the air. She flew towards Reshiram and placed her trainer on top of the vast white Pokémon.

N watched as White snuggled peacefully. His eyes narrowed slowly, feeling tired himself. 'You better get some rest too.' Samurott's voice slapped him back to reality. N stared at Samurott. "I will. You don't need to remind me."

The water starter yawned heavily and scratched the back of his ear. 'Well, sometimes a little reminder doesn't hurt.' A small smile curved upon his lips to see Lillil coming towards them. She stopped beside the green-haired human. 'How are Typhlosion and the others?' Samurott asked, voice immediately changed into a much softer tone. N couldn't help but chuckle at the formidable Pokémon's instant alteration in behaviour.

The Lilligant curved a small smile. 'The Sweet Scent calmed them down. So there won't be any rough housing tonight.'

That gave a sense of ease in their minds. 'Good. Coz I can't stand seeing more violence.'

'You think I like it?' Lillil asked sarcastically. She ignored Samurott's sour grumble and looked at White. 'She's asleep?'

N nodded and scratched his neck. "Yes. And both of you should too."

'Aren't you going to sleep too?' Lillil asked curiously. Samurott also fixed his gaze on N. The two Pokémon waited for the former king's answer. N flashed an assuring smile and waved his hands slowly. "I'll sleep. I just…I need to handle some things first." He flashed a quick peek at the redheaded man. Samurott caught his glimpse, and quickly understood his motive.

Sadly, Lillil was a bit slower tonight. 'What kind of-'

'Okay naptime!' Before she could finish, Samurott butted in and threw the stunned Lilligant up in the air. A short yelp escaped her tiny mouth. Lillil landed on the water starter's back with a thud. She gasped in panic, her leafy hand holding her chest. A sharp, deadly glare was given as Samurott let out an amusing chuckle.

'What was that for?!' She shouted madly.

Samurott flinched at her loud, high-pitched voice. 'Would you stop screaming? You're gonna wake everybody up.'

'You started it!' She replied, voice still in a shriek. Samurott groaned out loud and just walked away, letting the female nag and ramble like she usually does.

N watched as they move farther from his range of vision. He couldn't help but smile at their lovely friendship. He then focused his attention on Silver. Taking one deep breath, he paced his feet towards him.

* * *

Typhlosion stared emptily into the night sky. He was sitting at the peak of the biggest tree. His chin was placed on his front paws. His frown stayed on his face ever since he woke up. Thanks to Lillil's Sweet Scent, it calmed him down. But that never removed the sorrow and despair that was glued to every ounce of his veins. He shut his eyes, only to regret it sooner. All he could see was Kotone. He could vividly remember their time together. Typhlosion was the closest to the brunette compared to the other five. And he was the most devastated the minute he lost Kotone.

His claw scratched the thick bark. His throat was sore from all the roars and cries. He had lost all his will to do anything.

Suddenly, sounds of rustling occupied his earshot. Typhlosion didn't move a muscle. The scent was enough to tell him who it was.

Ampharos finally reached the top. She let out a tiring gasp. 'Dammit Typhlosion. Next time if you wanted to sulk, find a place that doesn't involve climbing.'

The volcano Pokémon didn't reply a peep. The light Pokémon carefully walked through the thick leaves and finally landed a spot next to the huge fire starter. She looked at him, who was still lost in his thoughts. Silence filled the atmosphere for a few minutes. The more she looked at him, the more worried she got. 'How are you feeling?' She finally asked.

He didn't answer her. The wind blew softly around them. Their fur swayed slowly. Typhlosion's ears twitched to feel the twist and turn of the air.

Ampharos pursed her lips. 'It's okay if you don't wanna talk. I just wanna see if you're okay.'

Finally, after two breaths, Typhlosion spoke. 'How's your injury?'

The female Pokémon was slightly shocked at his response. 'Ah…It's fine. Thanks to Lillil's healing powers, my wounds have closed up. Even the others are getting their strengths back.'

'That's good.' He replied coldly. Obviously, he didn't have the mood to talk. Even so, Ampharos wasn't intending to leave his side. She looked at him carefully. The scar on the side of his right eye was barely visible, but enough to show under the moonlight. Her heart broke to see such misery in his gaze. Typhlosion was never that. He was always a hothead, impatient, hasty, and slightly – or always – temperamental. But she knew deep inside all of those, he was sweet, loving, caring, and definitely a loyal Pokémon. The fire starter would do anything to defend the ones he loved. And even with his rash attitude, that was his way of caring.

Thinking about it, it lifted her spirits a little bit. 'Hey Ty, do you remember our first time we met?'

His body posture never changed, but Ampharos was happy enough when she heard him mumble, 'What about it?'

'Well…' She scooted a bit closer to him. 'I remember it clearly. I was taking a peaceful nap behind the bushes. When suddenly, this nasty looking Cyndaquil came barging right through the bushes and screamed "Kotone! Kotone! I found a Pokemon! I found a Pokemon!" I swear, you were shrieking like a Loudred and I almost jumped up in the air.'

Ampharos was getting happier to hear a single, faint chuckle from her friend. 'So?' He asked blankly, eyes on the ground below.

'So, you almost scared me to death, stupid!' The light Pokémon playfully slapped Typhlosion's back. 'And then when I woke up, I saw you jumping like an idiot and I saw Kotone standing and smiling behind you.' She looked at the starry sky above them. 'I remember her face when she saw me. She was happy and excited; almost thrilled to see me. I didn't know what or why back then, but it gave me a sense of belonging when I saw our trainer's face.'

A soft smile tapped the edge of his upper lip. He remained quiet as Ampharos continued. 'I never had a human friend before. I saw my friends being captured and trained by other trainers. But that never piqued my interest to be one of them. I love being free. I love being able to live without anyone to boss me around. But when I saw Kotone all happy and cheering when she first saw me, it made me feel needed. It made me feel like there's something missing in me all along. And Kotone was there to fill it in.' Her eyes glistened with tears. Yet Ampharos kept her voice steady. 'You two made me realize how much fun it was to be in a team. How much I was missing all the action.'

Typhlosion just kept quiet. He listened. All her words were flowing in his ears. The memory of their first encounter danced in his mind. He could still remember Kotone's face when she caught Mareep. And that was also the first time he felt slightly jealous.

Thinking back, it was kind of funny why he even felt that way.

'And remember when we won our first gym leader battle?' Ampharos kept talking. 'Oh man. Kotone was practically screaming and jumping in joy back then! Even though she knew we were on a very high, very dangerous place.' Slowly, a smile curved at the edge of both their lips. The light Pokémon's voice was beginning to sound cheerful too. 'She kept hugging me and kissing me even though she knew she might get electrocuted. And to make it more awesome, you finally evolved into a Quilava right after flaming that Pidgeot. That was like the happiest day of our lives!'

The female flapped her arms excitingly as she spoke. Typhlosion finally laughed along. His voice was still croaked, but hearing his laughter was enough to light the spark in her. Ampharos chortled happily and playfully nudge her companion. 'That was my favourite memory of them all.' She spoke quietly with a dash of giggles. The light Pokémon looked at him. With a soft, secure smile, she said, 'And I promise you, we will get our Kotone back. And we're gonna make more happy memories together soon.'

His laughter went to an abrupt halt. He looked at Ampharos, who was biting her lip on what she just said. His smile withered down, but not into a frown. Typhlosion sighed ruefully and looked forward.

Slowly and carefully, Ampharos muttered, 'It's never Silver's fault. You know that. He is suffering as much as we are. And neither is Mewtwo's. They are all tortured and we need to work together to save them all.'

She heard him emit a bitter chuckle. The front of his paws were stretched, making him arch back. Typhlosion looked to his side. The female was patiently waiting for his response. Her eyes were shiny with faint tears. Her lips were pursing inside. The two stayed in that position, sitting very closely with the sounds of their breaths as music.

The more he looked at her, the more it made him realize things. Other than Kotone, Ampharos was the only one that endured and dealt with his hasty ways. Even though sometimes his comrades would just ignore him when he went mad, Ampharos will be the one to calm him down. The light Pokémon didn't care about his loud potty mouth. The light Pokémon didn't care whether he was acting rude to her at times. In fact, the light Pokémon didn't even care if he bullied her out of boredom.

Her patience and gentle nature caught his heart ever since.

He breathed slowly. Red blazing eyes stared at her pure black orbs. Finally, Typhlosion gave in and groaned. 'Fine.'

Even with one single word, that was enough for her. 'Yayy!' The light Pokémon waved her arms in joy.

And as she did that, he couldn't help but smile.

But her cheering stopped as Typhlosion nonchalantly flicked her forehead.

'Oww!' The light Pokémon yelped numbly. She glared at her friend, who was now laughing full-heartedly. Well, at least he was back to normal. 'What was that for?'

He snorted. 'You're being loud. People are trying to sleep.' Typhlosion curled into a ball and exhaled a few smoke off his nostrils. She heard him grumble, and he couldn't stop snickering about it.

Ampharos cast a few death glares. Even so, she couldn't resist the urge to laugh and smile at her friend's change in behaviour. _The important thing now is he's back to normal again._ She yawned sleepily and curled next to Typhlosion. His body heat was warm enough to make her feel snugly. 'Goodnight stupid.'

'Shut up moron.' He mumbled groggily. She giggled bashfully and fell into a deep sleep.

Before his eyes were shut, Typhlosion's mind only stayed on one thing: _Don't worry Kotone, Mewtwo. We're coming to save you._

* * *

Silver sat quietly. His legs were hugged in his arms and brought to his chest. His eyes remained on the clear water surface. The man hadn't moved since the horrifying incident. His heartbeat was the only thing he heard.

His Pokémon all stood behind him, completely worried for their trainer. He was stiff as a rock. Suddenly, sounds of feet tapping took their attention. Six heads turned around, only to see N walking towards them.

Feraligatr walked a few steps forward and stopped him. 'What do you want?' He crouched forward, mouth giving a low growl to the human.

N stopped his pace. He raised in hands in a form of defeat. "I just wish to see if Silver is alright."

'I don't think that's a good idea.' The big jaw Pokémon quickly replied. The greenette blinked in stupor then shook his head. "I won't hurt him."

'It's not him I'm worrying about.' Feraligatr growled under his throat. It took N a few minutes though to finally realize what the starter meant. "I do appreciate the concern, but I will be fine. I just need to talk to him for a while."

Feraligatr paused for a moment, contemplating on the idea. He looked at his friends. All of them were giving hesitant gazes.

"If you want, you can stand a few feet away from us. So if I'm in trouble – in which I won't be – you will be there." N negotiated with the Pokémon. He flashed a smile, his eyes never leaving them.

Finally, the huge water starter nodded in agreement. 'Fine. But you have 15 minutes.' Barking a command, they moved away from their trainer. Sneasel gave a brief glance over Silver, then he looked at N. 'Please be careful.'

The tall man nodded. "I will."

Finally, the two men were left alone. Silver still kept his body posture frozen. Taking one deep breath, N walked towards him. "Hey," he said, but received no response. Keeping his heart steady, the young king sat next to Silver.

He froze to see him. Even with the red bangs covering, he could see dark holes under his eyes. His lips were pale. His cheeks were colourless as well. His nose, however, was red as an apple. N didn't know how many times or how long Silver had cried, but judging by how he looked, it must have been horrible.

He coughed awkwardly. "Um…" _Great. How am I going to start this?_ He was horrible at human communication. Even though White once said it's almost the same as conversing with a Pokémon, N found that hard to believe. He twiddled his fingers, eyes on the lake. The two sat quietly in an awkward silence.

"What do you want…?"

The greenette froze to hear a voice. He looked beside him. Silver was still sitting, still facing the lake. "I…" N stuttered quietly, unknowing on what to say. He sat properly and adjusted his cap. "I wanted to see if you are okay."

Three breaths later, "Why do you care?" Silver asked indifferently. His voice was faint and muffled. It was like a dead whisper.

N bit the insides of his cheeks. Silver had a point: Why did he care? He thought for awhile, then finally answered, "It's because you are my friend." It was true though. N did see him as a friend.

But he flinched to hear a chuckle – or more like a wheeze – breathed through the redhead's mouth. But N took that as a good sign. At least he was responding, right? The greenette plucked up some courage and continued. "It's true. I have considered you my friend." _Even though you are harsh and scary._

But N wasn't going to say _that_ out loud.

Silver kept his mouth tightly shut. His eyes were never averted from the clear lake. He saw a few Magikarps and Goldeens splashed by.

N could feel his muscle tense in uneasiness. "Look, I am terribly sorry that all of this is happening. And about Typhlosion, I don't know if you understood him back then, but even if you don't, he didn't mean all those things. He was angry. _Very_ angry. But none of this is your fault."

Silver's fists slowly clenched in and out as N explained. He shut his eyes. His neck and cheek still stung from the burn. His chest was still aching sorely from the rough push. "Idiot…" His mouth moved to the word, but it wasn't verbal to N's ears.

"Excuse me?" The tall man leaned closer.

"I said _idiot!_" The redhead screamed a bit louder, throwing N off guard. Sensing the intense rage, the Pokémon began to move closer, but was quickly halted by N's signal. He adjusted his seating position and looked at the grim man.

"But I-"

Silver cut him off with a maniacal laugh. "You don't know anything about me." He finally shot a gaze at N. The greenette shivered in fear at his ruthless glare. "You think you know me, do you? You think just because you're shacking her cousin means you know shit about me, huh?"

N didn't know what 'shacking' means, but he defined it as 'being friends' in his head. "I- Look, it's true. I don't really know who you are or what your past is. But maybe – just maybe – I could help you. I know what it feels like to be lost and lose what you have."

Silver replied with a mocking laugh. "Oh really?" His voice began to sound even and loud, yet still crackling after all the crying and screaming. "You do know how it feels like huh? Well, tell me, have you ever think that the whole world is rainbows and shit when you were young? Tell me, have you ever think that nothing will go wrong in life? Tell me, have you ever stopped to think that maybe – _just maybe_ – things will finally go as planned?" His voice got louder and louder on each question. N just stayed quiet, letting the redhead vent out his anger.

The next questions were louder. "Tell me, have you ever lost your mother in a mentally traumatizing accident? Tell me, did your father ignored your existence and cared more about his stupid organization than his own son?! Tell me, did your past ever haunt you that it will never let you rest in peace?! Tell me! Were you ever emotionally disturbed that you have to shield your weakness by acting all high and mighty?! _Tell me!_"

His voice echoed under the night sky. It even shook the Pidgeys and Hoothoots out of their nests. N remained calm as Silver yelled. The redhead's breathing got rapid. His heartbeat increased every second. He clenched the bits of grass, holding back the need to punch himself.

"No. You _don't_ know me!" He hissed insanely, almost like a Pokémon. "All my life, I've been hiding the real me. I hate myself. I hate for who I am. Nobody knows me. Not you. Not my Pokémon. Not even-" Silver stopped abruptly. His silver eyes widened. His mouth was agape. "Not even Kotone…" The last word turned into a whisper. His hands fell to his sides. The man looked down, his hair sliding to his face.

Kotone, the only woman who loved him dearly and honestly. Kotone, the only woman who put up with him and all his mean antics. Kotone, the only woman who knew a glimpse of his past and still accepted him as he is.

Kotone, the woman who was now a part of Team Rocket.

_Crack!_ He swore he could hear what's left of his heart breaking.

He shut his eyes. All he could see was her smile, her laugh; things that killed him inside. "I never asked for anything special…" Silver sobbed woefully. His roughly bit his lower lip, holding back the urge to wail like a madman. "But in the end, I've lost everything…" The man hugged his knees and slammed his forehead on them. "All the people I loved. All the people that are important to me…They've all disappeared from my life…" His body trembled viciously. He felt like his throat was clogged, like he couldn't breathe.

His heart was more than broken. It was completely destroyed; utterly demolished into a million unfixable dusts. Even with the warmth and comfort from his Pokémon, nothing could make him feel whole again; like the man he once was.

Because as much as it killed him, his mind will always be set on one thing: He had lost his only ray of hope in life.

N watched as Silver mourned in despair. To hear what he just said. To see what he was witnessing. It shattered him as well. He was baffled to hear the words from his mouth. It made him realize how much they are alike in a way. N looked at the lake. Sounds of sobs occupied each other's earshot. _Feeling miserable from past faults. To feel like those memories would only haunt you until you're dead_. He sighed bitterly. He definitely knew how that feels like.

Taking one deep breath, his hand slowly moved to touch Silver's shoulder. He gave a soft squeeze, but the redhead didn't respond. "You probably don't believe me, but I do know what it feels like to not to be loved. I once saw the world as a happy place. But at the same time, I saw humans as a despicable threat to the Pokémon race. I wanted them gone. I wanted Pokémon and humans to be separated like black and white."

"But all this time, as I moved on, I realized how wrong I was. I wasn't born with love and care. I was raised with deceit and betrayal as my guidance. I was given false hopes and lies as I grew up. All the things I knew turned out to be wrong in so many ways." N plucked up all the courage and will to say it without stuttering. Oh how he kept it for so long. How he wanted all those memories to just disappear and start anew. But as much as he wished for that, N knew that would never happen.

"I have no mother," he said slowly, but clearly. "I have no father – or at least, one who can actually act like a father. Like yours, he only cared for his organization; never me. He lied to me. He played me like a puppet. I was like a fool to believe his words. And I never knew or saw my mother's face. I was raised with two strangers. They were the closest things I have for a 'mother'." His own voice began to shake with tears. N gulped it down and exhaled slowly.

Emerald eyes opened, sharply looking at the man next to him. "I pretended to be strong and knowledgeable. But all of them were masks to hide my insecurity and despair. That is until I met White. The first human I trust and befriended. She showed me many things. She opened my eyes to what I was missing; what I was wrong about. I was stubborn at first and neglected her. But at the same time, I myself was slowly looking back to what I was doing."

"And I almost lost her." N stopped for awhile. His teeth were gritted inside his mouth. For a brief second, he could still hear the laugh of the deranged lunatic he once called 'father'. He could feel his skin prickle on his arms. "I also left her out of guilt. I thought I'd lost her forever. I thought I could move on without my new friend. But as time flies, I realized I was wrong." The man gulped another cry and looked at Silver. He was still hiding his face, but was carefully listening to N.

"I was afraid that she was mad or had forgotten me when I came back. But to my joy, she welcomed me with open arms. And I learned one thing that day. When you want something or someone so bad, no matter what you do or where you are, in the end, if it's meant to be, fate will bring you two back together." The man took another deep breath and sat up straight. He flashed an assuring, confident smile. "That is why I believe that we can save Kotone and Mewtwo. You will get Kotone back. No matter how terrible the situation is now, there will be a way to stop them."

Silver fidgeted in his place, which was a good sign for N. "Everybody deserves a second chance." The greenette said in a positive tone.

And the second Silver heard him said that, it sounded a lot like Kotone's voice.

No matter how hard he tried, she will never leave his mind.

His fists clenched tightly. His feet tapped roughly on the ground. His teeth were clenching as hard as they could. Tears trickled down, giving his eyes a good sore.

N looked at him in confusion. Silver was shaking, and it worried him. He scooted an inch closer. "Sil-"

Before he could finish, Silver pounced on him.

The Pokémon quickly moved to the greenette's aid.

But they also stopped the second they realized what was happening.

Silver didn't pounce on N in a form of an attack, but in a form of a hug.

He was hugging the stunned man.

N froze completely. His arms were up in the air. Silver was wrapping his arms around his waist. His face was hidden on his shirt. The greenette could feel his shirt getting wet, possibly from Silver's tears.

"I hate this…" He heard Silver mumble. "Why…"

N was speechless. His attention was more on the sudden hug attack. Slowly, he patted Silver's back. He pursed his lips inside. N was definitely not used to being hugged by random humans. But he didn't push him away either. His hands moved to his red hair, patting it softly like how a mother would pat her child. Curving a small smile, he said, "Everybody does deserve a second chance. Just don't stop hoping, okay."

Silver didn't nod, neither did he shake. He just hugged him and mourned on his now soaked shirt.

The Pokémon watched in bewilderment. Sneasel let out a quiet sigh. He looked up into the dark starry sky. _At least Silver isn't on a rampage again_, he thought.

But one thing was for sure: All of them weren't about to give up without a fight.

* * *

Archer examined the sleeping Mewtwo in the tube. His finger lightly tapped his chin, eyes focusing on the genetic Pokémon. All kinds of things occupied his mind. Many challenges had he endured to get this far. And now, after all their hardwork and downfall, Archer had finally gotten what he wanted.

Yes. Victory was so close, he could taste it.

Suddenly, a tap on the shoulder snatched his attention. Archer turned around, only to see a smiling petite brunette in front of him. "Yes Kotone?"

Kotone gave a single clap. "Guess what we're going to do tomorrow?"

Her cheerful personality seemed odd in his eyes. Kotone was brainwashed, yes. She had forgotten everything about her family, her Pokémon and even Silver, yes. But her perkiness and positive attitude was still present in her. It amused Archer though. Now, she's the happiest Rocket than Petrel.

"Do tell, child." He said calmly, hands clasped behind his back.

The woman flashed an adorable smile. As her hazel eyes blinked innocently, Kotone said in a singsong tune, "We're going to take a trip down memory lane."


	15. 14

Silph Co. is a world-renowned company that has made billions within decades. Their branches are widely present in many regions and countries. Their president was a kind, nice old man whose vision exceeds people's expectation. Now, thanks to him, Silph Co. has become one of the most important and expensive organization ever.

A receptionist sat quietly on her desk. Her eyes were focused on the papers, her perfectly manicured nails tapping on each sheet. Suddenly, sounds of footsteps echoed inside the huge lobby hall. Each tap got louder, indicating that whoever it was, it was moving towards the receptionist. Even so, the Silph worker didn't look up for she was busy focusing on her paperwork.

Finally, those steps stopped. "Welcome to Silph Co. How may I help you?" The receptionist asked in a formal, polite tone. Her head never looked up to face her customer.

"Yes. I have a little favour to ask actually." The person – a young woman's voice – spoke.

The receptionist looked up, mouth ready to form a smile. "And what is that favour may I-"

_Click._

The sound of a trigger echoed in her ears. The lady froze completely. She felt something cold touching her forehead; a gun. Her wide, green baffled eyes gawked at the person standing in front of her. That person flashed a white smile. Her attire was full black. Her hair was in pigtails and covered with a big black puffy hat.

Those green eyes slowly inched down, only to stay rigidly frozen at the symbol on the young woman's shirt: **R**.

Kotone looked at her victim in glee. Flashing a devious smirk, she said, "I need to see your manager, please."

* * *

"White."

White fidgeted in her sleep.

"White, wake up."

She felt her body being softly shook. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. As soon as vision began to clear for her, she could see a distressed N staring at her. "N…?" White said unwarily. She sat up, arms stretching up in the air. N knelt in front of her, patiently waiting but eyes clearly showing panic. The brunette looked at the greenette, eyebrow arched up. "What's wrong?"

N blinked for awhile, as if contemplating on telling her the – bad – news. Finally, the man handed her Xtransceiver to her. "I think you should see this."

White took her device and looked at the screen. Her aqua eyes widened in disbelief to see the contents inside. It was Kanto's morning news.

And it was an important news flash.

_**SAFFRON CITY UNDER ATTACKED. SILPH CO. IS BEING TAKEN OVER BY THE MOST NOTORIOUS ORGANIZATION PEOPLE HAVE NEVER THOUGHT WOULD EVER COME BACK: TEAM ROCKET.**_

The headlines were black and bold as they showed a video of people running and screaming. It then showed a scene of the Silph building – which was guarded by thousands of wild Koffings, Zubats, and Ekans.

"Oh no…" White muttered faintly. She couldn't believe her eyes. The brunette looked at N, whose expression was clearly fear and sorrow. "We need to get to Saffron fast."

N nodded. Reshiram slowly brought them off him with his Psychic. The two landed in ease. White whistled for her Pokémon. Even Kotone's team walked towards them. A small frown bestowed upon her once a thought tapped her mind. "Wait, how are we going to bring Kotone's Pokémon? I don't have their Pokéballs…"

Before anyone could respond, Gyarados picked up something from her back. Aqua and green eyes were shocked to see that it was Kotone's satchel dangling from the end of the atrocious Pokémon's tail.

'Before we got beaten into a pulp,' Typhlosion said, face scowling as he reminded himself of the incident. 'Gyarados managed to snatch Kotone's satchel. All our Pokéballs – even Mewtwo's – are in that bag.'

'That was the only thing we could save for now…' Ampharos added, sounding woeful as she stood beside the volcano Pokémon. White looked confused and slightly baffled. N easily translated what they had said, and the woman nodded; finally understanding. Gyarados handed the satchel to White. Curving a smile, she took it and rummaged inside the brown bag.

"Alright then," she said, hands holding their Pokéballs, "everybody in."

With a nod, Kotone's and White's Pokémon zoomed inside their respective balls. N returned Zoroark. Only Reshiranm and Zekrom remained outside for transportation. But before she aimed Typhlosion's Pokéball at its owner, the fire starter shook his head. He looked at N, seeing that he was the only human that understood him. 'Can I stay outside? I don't feel like staying in the ball with all this commotion.'

N gripped White's shoulder. "He wants to be out." White looked at her tall boyfriend. She then looked at the huge starter, who was quietly sitting on his hind legs. Typhlosion tilted his head slightly, eyes pleading like a baby Pokémon. Finally, the woman exhaled slowly. "Alright then." She handed Typhlosion's Pokéball to N, and the man hooked it onto his belt.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

All of them stopped. White and N turned around, only to see Silver standing before them. Her aqua eyes widened in slight shock. "We…uh…" She stuttered, unable to verbalize her words. Honestly, the woman had forgotten about Silver for awhile.

Silver huffed sourly. With arms crossed, he sharply said, "I'm following."

Both of them froze for a second. The two didn't know what to say. The last time Silver met Team Rocket, he went ballistic. And the last time he met the currently evil Kotone, he was worst than ballistic – he was cracked into two.

Though the two were quiet, Silver could perfectly read what was on their minds. "Look, I'm fine. I can handle this now." His hands were balled into fists, yet hidden behind his crossed arms. The man took once sharp breath, and released it with a puffy grunt. "I'm not leaving you guys until we solved this."

Without a word, White walked towards Silver. But N quickly gripped her shoulder, stopping her. "I wouldn't-" The green-haired man mumbled, yet White stopped him by softly pushing his hand away. Her aqua eyes gave an assuring gaze, and N – hesitantly – let her through. Mouth forming a straight line, she walked and stopped a few feet in front of Silver. The man eyed her suspiciously, but his stance was never moving.

"Look," White broke the silence. "I appreciate you wanna help. I really do. But I think it's best if you stay out of this."

Silver eyes widened a bit, clearly shocked at her words. "You're doubting me?" he asked dumbly with a dash of irritation. "You're seriously doubting me?" The man sounded bitter, no less. "You think I can't handle some stupid-!"

Before he burst into a raging ball of rage, White stopped him. "Look! I really appreciate your help. We really are. It's just the last time you faced Team Rocket, you went a little…" She snapped her fingers a few times, trying to find the right words. "Cuckoo."

"White…" N groaned at her choice of words, but White quickly raised her hand, silencing him.

Now Silver's eyes were wide as plates. "Are you saying I'm mad?!" Because right now, he was beginning to feel a whole other kind of 'mad'.

"All I'm saying is-" White swiftly butted in, "-we don't want you to feel stressed out anymore than you already are." Her lips puckered and let out a short gasp of air. She looked at Silver, self still calm and in control as she dealt with him.

Silver blinked in stupor. His silvers met her aquas and the two shared a gaze. Finally, the man sighed heavily and ruffled his red hair. His mouth formed a bewildered grin. "That's amusing. Okay little Miss White, let me tell you something," he said sarcastically, hands pulling down the left sleeve of his jacket. "Team Rocket's blood – their boss's blood – is literally pumping in my veins." Silver tapped his wrist, baffling the petite brunette each second.

"So, to be frank, I'm more than involved with those bastards even before I was born. If you think I'm stressed out now, you have no idea how stressed out I was years ago." The man let out a hearty, spiteful laugh. He didn't know what was taking over him at this point. He had had enough. It was time to confront his fears and laugh at death in the face.

"To put in blatantly, _sweetie_," Silver hissed the word like it was a curse. The man leaned an inch forward, closing in the distance between him and White. The brunette's eyes were now round and in shock. The memory of last night came danced in her mind, making her cautious. N too was getting ready to make a move. Silver was fine last night, but one could never be too sure.

"Team Rocket is my business." The redheaded man said it loud and clear. Silver felt empowered and confident; something he hadn't felt for quite a while. "And your cousin, that little _brat_-"

"Hey!" White shouted, angry that Silver would still label Kotone even in their situation.

But Silver wasn't finished. "-is my business too! She is my girlfriend and I'm not going anywhere!"

Everything was silent. The two humans stood in their positions. White stood firmly while Silver leaned forward until their foreheads almost clashed. Both were quiet, yet both were thinking hard. N stood from a minimal distance, feeling worried and slightly scared of the intense situation.

White closed her eyes, mouth inhaling and exhaling a few times. "Tell me…Silver…" Her lips muttered slowly, as if whispering to herself. The woman opened her eyes. As her shining aqua orbs gleamed under the radiant sun, she asked slowly but clearly, "Do you love Kotone?"

That made Silver stood up straight.

His mouth was slightly agape. His eyes were wide at the question. Never did he expect such a question. White stared at him, patiently waiting for his answer. His mind was blank for a second. His thoughts screeched to a halt.

_"I love you…"_

There it was: those three words; the words that he himself could not say it. Her sweet, sultry voice sounded so vivid and clear in his ears, even when she wasn't around. That last night they had spent together was all he could see. Silver looked down, his hands now by his sides and fisted into balls.

_"Everybody deserves to love. Nobody deserves to be miserable. Love is the most powerful emotion there is. It can also be dangerous, but once you learn how to control it, it can be your strongest willpower."_

His mother's words rang perfectly in his ears. Silver gulped back a tear. White still didn't move. Her arms were crossed against her chest, eyes intently focusing on the man in front of her.

"You probably don't believe me…" Silver finally spoke, or to be more exact, muttered. "Heck, I don't even care if you don't want to believe me. But she means _everything_ to me." Silver looked up and chuckled dryly. "I may not show it. I may not say it." He gripped his chest. "But she holds a very damn special place in my heart. She means the world to me more than any other person I've ever felt before." Everything was pouring out all at once. Silver shut his eyes and took one deep breath. Never had he done this before: confessing his true feelings. Never had he told anyone, even to Kotone. All was bottled perfectly inside him. But now, time was all he had left. If he wanted to save Kotone; if he wanted her alive and safe, now was not the time to act cowardly.

Because all this time, no matter how far he ran; how fast he ran, the past will always come back to haunt him. His past blinded him, scaring him like the little fragile boy he once was.

But now, today, unlike all the other days, he will now face his past and punch fear right in the face.

White was speechless for words. She just stared at him as Silver confessed his feelings. Never had she seen this side of him. Yes, Kotone might have told her a thing or two about Silver before. How he was quite rude but actually lovable on the inside. But to be honest, White never saw that in Silver ever since they've met. All she saw was a deranged, mean man who never actually loved her cousin.

But just as she saw the state he was in now, her thoughts were thinking otherwise.

Finally, Silver opened his eyes. His silver orbs gleamed under the sun like a ferocious predator, shuddering White. With a focused glare at the petite brunette, Silver growled, "And I would do anything to get her back. Even if I have to risk my life for her."

All was silent. N and White were stunned at Silver's last sentence. While Typhlosion, who was quiet all along, just looked down in silence. He stood beside the young king, expression never showing.

White blinked and gawked at the tall redhead. "Fine." She finally said. The brunette quickly averted her gaze and cupped her mouth. Her heartbeat raced at the intensity. And the gaze he gave her was enough to rattle the woman. The more she looked at him, the more it reminded her of a certain being that sacrificed for her before. Her heart felt heavy, but the woman held back the urge to tear up. White turned her heel and walked away. "But you're riding with N." Without a glance, she snapped her fingers. Taking it as a command, Reshiram lifted her up with his Psychic and placed her behind his back.

N flashed a small smile. White finally agreed and Silver finally confessed. _Oh well, at least we can finally have some understanding._

Or so he thought. 'I want to be in my ball.'

The sudden voice startled N. He looked to his left, only to see the volcano Pokémon. The starter's eyes were avoiding his emeralds. But the young king knew it was him that spoke. "But I thought you said-"

'I said, I wanna be in my damn ball.' Typhlosion stood on all fours, mouth scowling and growling bitterly. N flinched at the sudden Pokémon's change in attitude. He scooted a few steps backwards. "Are you okay…?"

'I'm fine,' Typhlosion said blankly, voice lying to his words. N just gawked at the giant creature, who finally locked eyes with him. And just as he stared, N saw a glimpse of uneasiness and sorrow. Unintentionally, he exchanged glances between the starter and Silver. The more N looked, the more he understood.

The two were still very uncomfortable around each other.

The volcano Pokémon averted his gaze. He scoffed ignorantly, knowing very well that the human knew what he was thinking. Silver stood a few feet away from him. He too didn't look comfortable with Typhlosion near. The two didn't make eye contact. Both were either egoistic or just plain awkward around each other.

N groaned quietly. "Very well." Granting Typhlosion's wish, he returned the starter.

Feeling rather relieved, Silver walked past N. Hands shoved inside his pockets, the man ignored his emerald gaze.

"Typhlosion was just…" N scratched the back of his neck, trying to find words to explain.

But Silver didn't need an explanation. "Whatever."

The man climbed onto Zekrom and was obviously not in the mood to talk more.

N stared at the egoistic man and shook his head. "This might take awhile…"

_Look on the bright side, Sir N_, Zekrom said mentally, trying to cheer his hero up. _At least Typhlosion didn't try to fry Silver again._

The greenette let out another groan. _Thank you for the reminder, Zekrom._

The deep black Pokémon grinned adorably. _You're welcome, Sir N._

* * *

Everyone was in their position. All the guards were holding their guns, hands shaking as they touched the trigger. Their Growlithes and Arcanines crouched beside their respective trainers, growling and barking at the huge door. Everyone crowded the president, who was cowering in his seat. The alarm had been sounding off for the past 10 minutes, and sounds of shrieks and screams were all they could hear, terrifying them even more.

Suddenly…_**BOOM!**_

The two huge doors burst and flung into midair. Most of the guards ducked and ran for cover. Five of them guarded their president, making sure that the man wasn't harmed. Dusts and rubbles coated the air. The men and Pokémon coughed, but all of them quickly went to their positions, anticipating for the worst.

Finally, the worst had come. "Tada! Look who's here?" Kotone stretched her arms in the air like how a showgirl would. "Man I love blowing up doors!" The woman cheered and squealed happily, clapping her gloved hands.

The guards aimed their guns at the young Rocket. Growlithes and Arcanines barked wildly, ready to release their attacks.

"Oh now, now," Kotone said sweetly, almost sulking. Her left hand holding her waist, and her right hand touching her pouted lips, she chimed, "You wouldn't hurt a woman, would you?"

In a blink of an eye, Arbok, Golbat, Houndoom, and Weezing zoomed past her. The four savage beasts plunged towards the baffled guards. Weezing huffed out poisonous gas, blinding his victims. An Arcanine released Flamethrower, but Houndoom counterattacked it with his own Flamethrower. To the legendary Pokémon's dismay, his attack engulfed him instead and burned the poor creature. Golbat swiftly flew towards one of the grunts and picked him up. The bat Pokémon twirled around, and as the human screamed in terror, Golbat flung him out the window. One of the guards tried to aim a shot at Arbok, but the cobra Pokémon nimbly dodged the bullets and pierced the man's chest with the sharp end of her tail.

Screams and wails were echoing inside the grand office. The president could see blood and smoke flying about. He covered his ears, trying his very best to remove the horrifying sounds.

"Hi Mr President."

A woman's voice was perfectly clear in his ears. The president looked up, eyes meeting Kotone's cheerful smile. The brunette sat on his desk, her right leg crossing over another. "So…" She checked her nails, voice ever so casual, "how's life?"

On impulse, the president jumped off his chair and dashed away. But to his appal, the four executives blocked his exit. "Just where do you think you're going, old man?" Sneering and hands in his pockets, Proton kicked the man's chest until he fell to the ground. The president gasped in pain. His old eyes stared at the four, mentally pleading for mercy.

Kotone laughed out loud as she walked towards them. "Mr President, you can't leave now." The brunette stopped behind him. She held her hips, her mouth curving a devilish smirk. "You have something very important to us."

The old man looked up, eyes tearful and wet. "P-please…" His mouth finally opened. "Please…I'll do anything…"

That only made her smile grew wider. "Just the words I wanted to hear." She snapped her fingers. "Mewtwo!"

In a flash, the genetic Pokémon appeared from below. His eyes glowed a bright purple. His mouth formed a straight, tight line. Without warning, Mewtwo clutched the president's neck and raised him up in the air. The man wheezed and gasped. His frail hands tried to grip and swat the legendary's hands, but what could he do? The Pokémon's strength was far more superior.

Mewtwo began to gleam brighter. His purple aura illuminated around him and his victim. The human could only open his mouth like hanged meat.

Finally, the genetic being threw the president to the ground.

"Got the codes?" Kotone asked joyfully, as if she didn't care about the old man's wellbeing. Mewtwo gave a single nod; never flashing a smile. But compared to him, Kotone's smile never disappeared ever since they reached the Silph building. "Good for you."

The battle began to subside. And for Team Rocket, their Pokémon had easily taken down all the guards. Piles of shattered debris were seen falling about. To add things, a few dead humans and Pokémon also decorated the huge office room. Kotone and Arianna made disgusted looks, obviously not enjoying the ugly scene. "Eww, somebody clean this place up."

Archer snickered amusingly. "I'm impressed. We were able to takeover Silph Co. in less than half an hour."

Kotone looked at the blue-haired man and grinned. "That's coz you have an awesome boss like me."

Proton and Petrel lifted the unconscious president. The two gripped the old man's arms, his head hanged low. "What are we supposed to do with this dude?" Petrel asked as his teeth bit the end of his cigarette.

Archer eyed the president with the edge of his eye. "Dispose of him. Throw him in a closet or something. He might be useful for ransom."

"Yayy more money!" Kotone raised her arms up in the air and cheered. She skipped towards the president's – or should they say, her – desk. Mewtwo floated behind her, expression never showing. The four executives smirked at her childish personality.

Proton's smirk was the widest and – if possible – looked rather smitten.

Archer couldn't help but cackle excitingly. Yes. For the first time in his life, everything was moving according to plan.


	16. 15

"Haa, this is life!" Kotone said as she twirled on the big black chair. Arms raised in the air, she leaned backwards and stretched happily. The Silph president's room was grand; it wasn't a lie. It was the biggest and widest room in the building that it can fit a Mamoswine. The tiles were gold and white. The two huge doors – right after being put back where they were – were made from the finest and thickest mahogany. On the left side were shelves, filled with books and trophies. It almost touched the ceiling and covered one side of the room. On the right side, however, was completely made out of transparent glass, acting as windows for the office. It gave off a magnificent view of the city. Long blinds dangled from each end of the glass, which one can use to cover the clear wall for privacy.

An elegant chandelier was seen in the middle of the ceiling; its lighting so bright, it could light up the whole top floor. And as if the room wasn't grand enough, there were four statues of the Silph president. It was placed at each corner of the room; each standing on a pedestal. One was in a stance of The Thinker. One was happily hugging a Pikachu. One was standing still with its right hand placed on its chest. And lastly, positioning next to the right side of the desk was the president holding a sword and a shield, preferably resembling honour and dignity.

Kotone chuckled at the last statue. "I want a statue," she said unwarily, brown eyes focusing on the tall mannequin. "That's it. I want a statue with a sword and stuff. I want a sword!" She banged the desk with her hands, face shining with her smile. Kotone looked outside the door, where Proton was quietly guarding. Smile still in place, she called for him. "Hey Proton!"

The green-haired Rocket snapped his attention towards her. "Yes Kotone?" His heart skipped a beat to hear her say his name. The man calmly walked inside. Once inside, he shut the door with his foot. Hands in his pockets and mouth forming a small smirk, he strode towards the cheerful woman.

Kotone clapped her hands cheerfully. "I want a statue. You think Mewtwo could carve one out of a boulder in seconds?"

Proton's eyes were round in surprise. He definitely didn't expect that sort of question. The man stopped in front of the desk, facing her. "I…uh…" His mouth stuttered, unable to think of words for her question. Kotone patiently waited for his answer, eyes blinking adorably at him.

The more he looked at her, the more his heart began to race.

"Well…" _Damn it Proton! The hell is wrong with you?! Answer her stupid question! She is cute in black though…wait what?_ The man shook his head, trying to remove such idiotic thoughts.

Mistaking his action as a 'no', it cast a frown on her face. "So you think Mewtwo can't carve a statue of me from a boulder?"

"Ah n-no no!" Proton quickly denied, hands flailing. He was basically stuttering like a buffoon. Kotone looked at him, a single eyebrow arched out of curiosity. The green-haired man took one long breath and exhaled slowly.

He cursed mentally to hear the sound of Golbat's snicker from behind.

Kotone propped her chin in the palm of her right hand. Her lips pouted and twitched all awhile looking at the youngest executive. "You didn't answer my question, Proton."

Proton shook his head and clapped his hands once. "Yes, yes, Kotone. You will definitely look good in a statue." He man flashed his white teeth, grinning at the young Rocket.

Kotone sighed slowly. "That wasn't my question. But close enough."

Suddenly, Proton's mind hatched an idea. His grin was slowly growing wider. "You know, Kotone. I know a better solution about the statue thing." He took one step closer. "Wanna know what will make that statue a thousand times better?"

That snatched her interest. "Ooo, what?" Kotone leaned forward, both hands resting under her chin.

The man plucked up all his courage and rested his palms on the desk. His body was leaning closer to her, and his smirk was wide it could touch his ears. "Your statue will look even better if there was…Oh I don't know, another sculpture carved right next to you."

A single eyebrow arched on her forehead. "What do you mean?" Her voice was steady. Engulfed by the tempting thought, Kotone inched forward, completely unaware at the fact that Proton was beginning to close the distance between them.

As if he wanted to close the distance between their lips.

His breath was getting heavy. His heart was racing like an engine. His blood was quickly pumping in his veins. His lips parted slowly, exhaling a low long breath. Their faces were an inch apart. The more he looked at her, the more his insides rumbled like a wild predator. As his dark green eyes bore into her elegant hazels, Proton whispered, "Yes…Someone like…"

"Proton!"

The sudden voice shook his back to reality, making his hands slipped off the desk. As a result, Proton's face kissed the hard desk and the man moaned and groaned out loud in pain. Kotone blinked in confusion and looked upfront. Archer, Ariana and Petrel stood on the doorway. Her smile quickly flashed on her flawless face. "Yay you're here!"

Archer walked towards his comrades, his hands folded behind his back. Even though Proton was now crouching on the floor and rubbing his swollen nose, Archer's eyes were focused on the young woman. The tall man stopped in front of her desk. "I believe it's time to proceed with our next plan."

Her smile turned into an evil grin. Kotone hopped off her seat and jumped across the table. She landed perfectly on her feet as the brunette stood in front of Archer. "I thought you never asked." A melodic giggle danced off her lips. She looked at Mewtwo, who was standing near a huge bookshelf. "Open the lab."

Upon hearing the command once, the genetic Pokémon pulled a blue book from the shelf. In seconds, the room began to tremble slightly. The three generals were shocked to see that the bookshelf began to shift away – revealing a whole new room.

Ariana walked until she stopped next to her blue-haired comrade. "This place has a lab?" She heard him chuckle, making her head turn to face Archer.

"Yes. After months of studying, I learned that Silph Co has been undergoing a few researches and is expanding their market and technology. And you know how fond I am with this sort of things." Archer looked at Ariana. In a good mood, he inched bit closer to the redhead. The woman's eyes widened, obviously not expecting his suddenly cheerful behaviour. Their faces were a breath close. Her heart accelerated in her chest. With a wide, evil smirk, Archer whispered, "This opportunity is like honey; waiting to be sucked out of its very core…"

His eyes were like sharp daggers piercing into her red gaze. Upon hearing his husky tone, a gulp was all she could bestow. A few blinks later, Ariana looked away and rushed her feet towards the lab. Heat rushed into her face. Her hands trembled as they rolled into fists. It had been a while since they were that close. Archer wasn't one to be happy or intimate, so for him to act like that, it gave her a shock attack.

Hands in his pockets, Petrel casually shuffled towards Proton. Without guilt, he burst out a single laugh. "Guess Archer cockblocked you, huh?"

The green-haired man stood up, mouth grumbling and growling. "Shut the fuck up…"

* * *

Archer wasn't going to lie: He was surprised to see that the lab was big enough considering it was connected to the president's room. The four executives examined the room while Kotone was happily skipping towards the main control.

"Woah! Look at the size of this beast!"

Three heads turned to the sound of Petrel's voice. Blue, red, and green eyes were round to see a huge ray gun positioned at the corner of the room. It was as tall as two Arboks. The main controller was placed next to it, with Kotone idly standing and her hands working on the machinery.

Archer walked towards the brunette. His curiosity was getting stronger every second. Not only that, but his excitement was also increasing just as fast. "My, my, Kotone," he mused loudly, mouth forming a grin. "Mind telling me what you're planning?"

Kotone spun her heel, making a tiny clicking sound. "Well Archer, since you're so impatient," she chimed in a childish tone, "I have a plan that will change Team Rocket's fate. And since Mewtwo contains all the information from the president's mind, we have full access in this lab and especially that ray gun." The woman turned back to face the control machine. Her fingers swiftly clicked and tapped random buttons. The screen blinked, showing numerous numbers, words, and equations. But judging by her expression, she looked like really did know what she was doing.

"That gun was supposed to be used for broadcasting and transferring information." Kotone let out a disgusted 'tch'. "Such useless ways to use on powerful technology."

Mewtwo floated towards the heavy blaster. His eyes glowed a dark purple each minute. His body shined lightly with the violet aura surrounding him like flames.

"So," The young Rocket continued, "I've decided to make some tiny remodifications." Her forefinger pressed the last button. The screen showed a blueprint of the blaster. Her lips twitched a devious smirk. Kotone looked at Mewtwo, who seemed ever so blank and dead. "Do it."

Without a peep, the genetic Pokémon touched the ray gun.

* * *

He stood there; silent and empty. His eyes blinked once, twice, then thrice. His head was hung low, eyes staring dully at his shadow.

_"I miss you…"_

He slowly looked up. Another shadow was present. Its figure was so familiar. Its shape was a close resemblance to a human; a woman to be exact. It floated a few inches off the ground. The dark ghost swayed towards the man. _"I miss you…Don't you miss me…"_ It spoke, but the words sounded like echoes; like a voice from a person's mind.

The man didn't move an inch. He stayed there as the shadow moved. Light was absent, but its figure was becoming vivid. Brown eyes were only seen. But they looked dead and dreadful, holding memories of a million miseries. The shadow reached out with its long, skeletal arms, its claws wanting to touch the human's chin.

The man didn't scream, neither did he cringe. He seemed cold himself, letting the eerie creature gently touch him.

Those beautiful hazel eyes were slowly simmering down, losing its pupils; losing its irises. It finally showed off a pair of empty, white sclerae. The shadow tilted on what it seems its head. _"Sil…v-v…"_

It echoed. It purred.

Those arms wrapped around his head, its foggy body closing their distances. _"S-S-S…ilv…R-Rock…"_

It echoed. It hissed.

Another feature appeared on the shadow. This time, it was a pair of vicious fangs. The amount of its carnivorous teeth was uncountable. It was white and shiny, yet sharp and splotched with blood.

Even so, the man gave no response. None at all.

_"L-love…"_ The voice was a faint whisper from one's thoughts, like a muse while sleeping. Its mouth was widening, revealing its fangs without shame.

Love.

That one word he hated the most: Love.

Finally, the man blinked though gazes were still empty. His fingers flexed slightly, then curled. He gazed into the shadow's orbs. The fangs twitched into a tiny smirk, happy that it finally received a reaction from him.

His arms moved up and spread, wanting to hug the dark shadow that coiled around him.

But as he did, the shadow disappeared.

He stood there, arms hanging in a position of a hug. His eyes stared out in the abyss. The shadow evaporated in a blink of an eye, leaving with no warning or sign. Even so, there was no reaction from him. He didn't look disappointed. He didn't look sad. Neither did he look confused nor mad.

Just as he was about to embrace the tempting ghost, it left him hanging with hope.

It made him realize the one thing he hated the most: Love.

* * *

Silver opened his eyes. It felt heavy and numb. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose, mouth silently groaning at the headache he felt. _Another dream_, he thought. _Dammit. I fell asleep again._

The wind blew his hair and face, indicating that they were still airborne. Silver lazily looked at N, who was sitting in front of him. "How much farther?" he asked, voice sounding a bit hoarse from the slumber.

The greenette turned to look at him. A small smile appeared on his face. "About 10 minutes. You looked tired from the lack of sleep last night, so I thought you needed a rest."

Silver let out a heavy scoff. "Even when I'm asleep, it didn't help cooling me down…" He muttered quietly, not wanting the tall man to hear.

"Excuse me, what is it?" N scooted closer, curious to see the man's lips moved. But Silver quickly shook his head and had his back face N. The greenette's smile turned into a frown. _You're as egoistic and stubborn as White._

Suddenly, his Xtransceiver beeped. And so did White's. N rummaged through his pocket and took the device out. He glanced at White, who was also looking at him. "White, what is happening?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. But it sounds like a transmission. Even Kotone's Xtransceiver is beeping." White stared at Silver, who seemed curious as she was. Reshiram flew closely to Zekrom. Carefully, White threw her cousin's satchel into the redhead's arms. "You might wanna take a look at what's going on."

He frowned a small frown. It didn't help that the bag smelt like Kotone. Grunting annoyingly, he quickly found the device and clicked 'accept'.

All three humans were shocked to see who it was: Kotone.

She was flashing a radiant smile. Her black hat was covering her brown locks, and a huge 'R' was seen on her tight shirt. She was standing with arms stretching and propping on something as support.

It had been awhile that Silver saw her. And once he did, he felt like his breath was knocked out from him.

And if that was bad, hearing her voice felt like kick to the throat. "Hi everyone!" Kotone cheered, her hand waving eagerly. "How is everyone doing?"

"She has access to all networks in Kanto." White cursed under her breath. She clicked on all the channels obtained on her Xtransceiver. But no matter what channel it was, it showed Kotone's broadcast.

"Guess what? I have a little game for you guys to play!" The pigtailed brunette squealed playfully, gleefully swaying her arms. "And I want all of you to participate."

N looked at White. "White, I don't like where this is going." His girlfriend returned his glance with an obvious stare. Silver, on the other hand, could only look at the screen. To see how happy she was gave him mixed emotions. A part of him was happy and quite thankful to realize that her girl was still the little annoying brat. But another part of him was getting irritated, angry even. Sure this was Kotone – _his_ Kotone – but she was also brainwashed into believing that she was a part of Team Rocket. Half of him wanted to stop her at any cause.

Another half of him wanted to bring her into his arms out of dreaded yearning.

"Here's how we play," the brunette chimed, her voice preppy as ever. It snapped Silver back to reality. Shaking his head furiously, he glared at the screen as if he was glaring at her. The woman was now clapping her hands in joy. "So, hand in over your strongest Pokémon. Or just hand in _all_ of your Pokémon. We'll dispose the weak ones ourselves. Seems much simpler."

Upon hearing the word 'dispose', it gave N a good shiver. His heart skipped a beat. The thought of Pokémon being rid off like garbage…he couldn't bring himself to even continue thinking of it. His hand gripped the device tighter, containing his anger as he heard her laughter. N knew it was the evil in her talking, but he couldn't help but feel hate sipping into his veins.

"That…little…" Silver intended to pour out his hatred publicly. His hands began to shake, nails digging into the hard device of the Xtransceiver. He missed her a lot. Yes. But the more he looked at the screen – at her – the more it made him realized something.

What he saw wasn't his girl, but a hysterical, evil bitch; a hollow demon that tormented his every dream.

Kotone looked at her screen, focusing on her viewers. "Now if you don't play our game and hand in all your Pokémon,-"

* * *

"-this will happen." Kotone averted her gaze and looked at Petrel, who was casually leaning on the controllers. "Fire the laser!"

With a wide smirk and a cigarette in his mouth, the man pulled a red lever next to him. The huge ray gun started to glow a bright yellow, its energy flowing rapidly inside the contraption. Parts of the ceiling above the blaster suddenly shifted, revealing clear blue skies.

And in a second, a yellow laser shot right up the sky and through the clouds.

* * *

The two legendaries and three humans flinched as they heard a loud noise; almost like the sound of a jet.

_Lady White! Sir N! Look!_

Reshiram's and Zekrom's voice took their heroes' attention. Five heads looked up. Five eyes widened to see a bright ray zooming upwards.

What they didn't know was that the beam was shooting right into space. It hit one of Silph's satellites. The satellite reacted, making it shake violently. Without a minute to spare, it repelled back a bigger beam, letting it zoom right down to earth. The ray broke past a few clouds.

And crashed right into a forest; a few yards away where the legendaries were soaring.

N, White, and Silver shielded their eyes from the blinding light. Once clear, they looked forward.

All were stunned to the bone to see a huge crater was formed in the middle of the forest.

Trees were seen broken and crumbled. A few Pokémon scurried and scrambled as fast as they can, away from the gigantic hole. Clouds of dusts and dirt were floated about due to the aftermath.

"W-wha…" White stuttered horribly. She couldn't believe her round aqua eyes. Bits of the once green forest had turned into a barren wasteland in seconds.

The two men weren't able to think clearly due to their bewildered state. Mass destruction had happened right before their eyes. N's trembling hands were getting intense, balling up into tight fists. The thought of the Pokémon in danger both terrified and angered him. _The…The Pokémon in the forest…How c-could she…_ All those poor creatures. They had lost their home. And much to N's aghast: some had also lost their lives.

A loud cackle snapped the attention. All eyes glared at the screen. She giggled and chortled without guilt, her hand lightly tapping her mouth. "Man that was exhilarating! So, you got the sneak peek. Now do as we say," with a malicious grin as Kotone leaned closer to the screen, she hissed, "or Pallet Town will be the first to eat hot beam." Before anyone could react, she shut down her broadcast, leaving a blank black screen.

Everyone was still motionless. Even Reshiram and Zekrom stayed rigid, with only their wings flapping.

Silver was the most affected mentally.

_Why…_ he painfully thought, _why is this happening…?_ His head hung low, red locks covering his eyes. Teeth gritting until his jaw was numb, Silver shut his eyes. The sight of a few seconds ago mixed with the sight of his beloved brunette flashed in his mind. She was laughing with him the first second, then laughed at him the next. His thoughts whirled like an engine, revealing each memory he had as a child.

And then, it stopped at the image of the four executives.

The more he thought of it, the more enraged he became. _Those…filthy…_

"Reshiram!" White shouted.

"Zekrom!" N yelled.

"Step on it!" The two Unova heroes screamed in unison. Both hearts were engulfed in a fiery rage. Both were filled with anger and complete anxiety. The dragons' turbines in their tails whirled into maximum gear, and both brothers whirred like the speed of lightning.

* * *

Kotone clapped her hands joyfully as she kept a wide smile. "Excellent work, Kotone." The sound and praise of Archer's voice made her turn around. The woman huffed arrogantly, her hands holding her waist. "I know that, Mr Blue Hair."

Petrel's and Proton's snicker reached into the bluenette's ears.

Archer shook his head slowly and crossed his arms against his chest. _This woman is definitely a child._ But he didn't care. What matters now is that the plan was moving smoothly. He looked at Kotone, who was now idly pinching Proton's Golbat's cheeks. "There is one problem though. Silver and his friends might make a sudden appearance. Seeing that you just made a scene, I doubt they won't come here and find us." His voice was calm yet stern and filled with power. The last thing he wanted was more hindrance.

Kotone stopped her pinching and cast a glance at Archer. With a sweet giggle, she responded, "I got that covered." The brunette switched her attention towards the empty-looking legendary. "Mewtwo!"

* * *

"We're here!" White shouted as she saw Saffron City. Her heart was accelerating each second. It was now or never. Not only Kotone and Mewtwo, but now the whole world was in jeopardy.

Reshiram let out a low growl under his breath. Feeling the anger coming from his hero, he too felt uneasy and anxious. Glancing with the corner of his eye, he saw Zekrom zooming right next to him. They had arrived at their destination; so close. Both dragons had their minds and eyes focused.

Until suddenly, _BAM!_

'Oof!' Reshiram yelped sharply.

'Oow!' Zekrom shouted in agony.

White, Silver, and N felt a harsh jerk as the dragons stopped. It was as if the Pokémon had crashed onto something. "Zekrom, are you alright?" N asked in utter concern. He quickly scooted on his knees towards the deep black Pokémon's head and peeked into one of his red eyes.

'I'm fine, Sir N.' Zekrom assured him, but his claws rubbing his swollen nose. 'It's just, I think I hit something.'

'You are not alone, Brother.' Reshiram added as he rubbed his numb forehead. The dragons looked upfront. Once vision was clear to them, loud gasps escaped their mouths. Reacting to the legendaries' horrific gasps, the three trainers followed their gazes.

In front of them and what seemed to be surrounding Saffron City – was a huge purple barrier.

"What the…?" The ponytailed brunette gaped dumbly, eyes blinking in stupor at the gigantic dome.

_It's Mewtwo's powers. He created a dome so nobody gets in and nobody gets out._ The vast white Pokémon's growls were getting louder. His head lowered, blue eyes deadly glaring at the Silph Co. building.

'This isn't good.' Zekrom chimed in sourly. He, like his brother, was also growling as the deep black beast tried to think of ways into barging through.

They were all stumped. Silver quickly stood up and dashed towards Zekrom's head. His legs were slightly bent, making sure not to trip and fall. The redhead stood next to N, his silver eyes narrowed and glowing with wrath. The scent of Kotone from her satchel wafted in his nostrils, making him look at it. His eyes dimmed yet his pupils dilated. It made him think for awhile. Many images and scenes were rolling in his mind like a slideshow.

A few days ago, he was scared and scarred. Team Rocket had came back and brainwashed the only love of his life. The scars he hid and vowed never to remember were violently revealed in a matter of minutes. The monster that haunted his dreams was actually right under his nose _and_ was in the possession of his beloved. Everything that he was learning to love and cherish was harshly being ripped off of him.

There more he thought of it, the more infuriated he got.

"Nobody…" Silver hissed through gritted teeth. The trembles from his body was getting fiercer and unstable. His nails dig deep into the skin of his palms. The bag was also clutched tightly, slightly ripping the leather. Feeling the slight tremor, N looked to his side. His green eyes were wide to see Silver's state. Fear began to rise up into him as he remembered the last time the redhead went berserk.

"Silver…" The greenette muttered softly, trying his very best to console him.

But even if he screamed at his ear, Silver wouldn't even notice.

"Nobody-" Silver finally looked upfront. With silver eyes wide and round like a crazy psychopath, he yelled, "_-steals __**MY**__ Kotone and __**MY**__ happiness and __**GETS A-FUCKING-WAY WITH IT!**_"


	17. 16

Silver had had enough. The gloves were coming off. His fists were roughly clenched, eyes glaring at the purple barrier covering the city. He looked at N, who gave nothing but a worried expression. "Tear this thing down."

N blinked, and so did White. The Unova duo exchanged glances at each other then both focused on the redhead. "Wait what?" N asked as he stood up straight, facing the slightly shorter man.

"You heard me," Silver scoffed bitterly. "Tear this damn dome down. You two have legendaries for Arceus sake! That damn thing controlling the barrier is a Pokémon too. Break his concentration by giving the shield multiple hits!" His voice was stern and sharp. Even with the sound of harsh wind blowing in their ears, Silver's voice was clear to be heard by them.

Even with his bewildered state, his words had some truth in it. Now Silver knew this thanks to all the Pokémon battles he had with Kotone. Mewtwo and Typhlosion were the strongest in her team. And the genetic Pokémon could create an indestructible force field. But Silver learned an intriguing fact that one particular day. When Feraligatr spammed his Hydro Cannon on Mewtwo's shield hard enough, eventually it will lose the legendary's focus, thus weakening its barrier.

N and White pondered for a few minutes. The stubborn man had a point. White lightly tapped Reshiram's head. "You wanna give it a shot, Reshiram?"

The vast white Pokémon flashed a smirk. Blue eyes narrowing and neck lowering down, he mentally growled, _I don't see why not_.

Seeing the tenacity in Reshiram, N looked at Zekrom. "Zekrom, want to try it out?" he asked his dragon, in which Zekrom instantly nodded without haste. The deep black Pokémon's body began to emit light blue sparks. 'Let's do it!'

With a small smile, N kneeled on one knee. The palms of his hands were tightly pressed against the legendary's black cold scales. He looked up, eyes staring at Silver. "You might want to brace for impact."

An eyebrow raised on his forehead. Silver turned around, only to see White also in a kneeling position. The brunette gripped Reshiram's soft fur. As her aqua eyes met the greenette's, she gave him a nod. His smile growing wider, N nodded back. Both young adults looked straight forward.

Silver was getting confused by the second. "What are you-?"

"Reshiram," White said, lips smirking.

"Zekrom," N spoke, expression serious.

"Fusion Flare!"

"Fusion Bolt!"

The second after hearing both their heroes' commands, both Reshiram and Zekrom roared savagely. Zekrom raised his claws up in the air, forming a huge electrifying ball of manic jolts. Reshiram opened his mouth, ready to release a gigantic, swirling orange orb. In unison, both the dragons released their attacks. The barrier got hit with a loud bang, making it echo throughout the skies.

Taken aback, Silver lost his balance and tripped backwards. "W-w-what the _fuck?!_" Luckily, he quickly got a grip on one of Zekrom's wings. He clung to it for dear life, his legs hanging and trying to step on the scales for balance. "_Hey!_"

To his dismay, the two were too focus on the attack. "Again!" White and N shouted in unison. Reshiram and Zekrom repeated their attacks. Teeth gritting tightly, the redhead clutched on the wing firmly and shut his eyes, avoiding the blinding light that was resulted by the attacks.

* * *

Her legs wobbled. Her mind felt woozy. Kotone started to give slight shakes. Her vision was blurry as she looked at the screen. "W-wha…"

Seeing the weird stance in her, Petrel raised a single brow. "You okay, Chirpy?"

Kotone didn't answer him. Something was definitely off. It was as if someone was banging her head. The woman held her forehead, fingers rubbing and trying to remove the aching pain.

Ariana, Proton, and finally, Archer focused their attention towards the brunette. "What's wrong with her?" the female executive asked, eyes looking as the young Rocket wobbled. Proton was beginning to feel worried. A small frown curving his lips, he asked, "Is she okay?"

Kotone unwarily answered their questions with a loud groan. Both her palms covered her shut eyes, trying her best to endure the torturing headache.

Archer let out a low growl. He then faced Mewtwo who was standing not too far from them. As he suspected, the genetic Pokémon was also holding his head, his upper body bending forward.

What Mewtwo feels, Kotone felt it too.

She snapped her eyes opened. Her beautiful hazel eyes immediately lost its pupils and irises. In one blink, her eyes were now glowing in a dark shade of purple.

* * *

Reshiram and Zekrom growled viciously. The barrier began to fade, but was still standing strong. _It's weakening, Lady White_. The vast white Pokémon assured his trainer as he mentally talked to her.

Hearing his words, White flashed a wide white smirk and nodded. She kneeled on one knee, right hand petting Reshiram while her left hand gripped the visor of her cap. "Good. Then let's make one last blow to break this baby apart."

His trainer's anticipating and intimidating attitude was fuel to Reshiram's confidence. The Pokémon shut his eyes, focusing on his final attack. Seconds later, his white furry body was slowly consumed in beautiful blue flames. Yet White didn't feel hot or scorched. Instead, she felt warm and cozy, like being wrapped in a thick blanket during winter.

Seeing what his brother was doing, the deep black Pokémon couldn't help but smile and flail his arms in joy. _May I, Sir N?_

The greenette chuckled dryly at his dragon's childish impatience. "You may, Zekrom."

Once heard, the legendary's eyes gleamed a bright red glow. His smirk growing wider – almost maniacal even – Zekrom looked up and raised his claws up in the air. More sparks and jolts were expelled from his body. Instead of blue, it executed bright yellow ones; more violent and blinding. Meanwhile, Silver had successfully jumped onto the Pokémon's back. He massaged his throbbing forehead, body stooping down to gain balance. "The motherfucking-"

Before he could finish, Silver heard N screamed, "Bolt Strike!"

In unison to N's voice, White commanded her Reshiram. "Blue Flare!"

With a shrieking roar, Zekrom zoomed at the speed of lightning and pounded his head on the weak barrier. Silver, bewildered by the sudden speed, felt his body being pressed down harshly and his face kissing the scales of the dragon. The impact left a fierce vibration in the dragon's body, making both N and Silver jump.

At the same time, Reshiram opened his eyes. They were round and wide, with blue eyes glowing an intense glow. The blue flames quickly whirred towards the front of his mouth. Finally, the vast white bellowed brutally, releasing a horrifying yet majestic gust of blue scorching blaze. The flare spread widely like it had a mind of its own. It formed into a vague shape of the vast white. Without waste or haste, it slammed the shield with all its might.

Both the powerful attacks deemed too much for the force field as it shook violently, giving off an eye-blinding yellow, blue, and purple light.

* * *

"_AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!_" Kotone screamed at the top of her lungs. Her body was raised a few feet up in the air. Her pigtails were stretched upwards and straight. The brunette looked up, mouth shrieking until her voice broke out. Her eyes burned a bright violet. She held the side of her head, though it did no help as the pain was excruciating until she herself couldn't do anything.

Team Rocket was stunned to the bone. The young woman was practically floating in front of their wide eyes! "Kotone!" Proton broke the silence, his voice panicking as he screamed. Out of reflex, he dashed towards the brunette.

Archer took a few steps backwards, feeling ghastly from the sudden reaction. He looked at Mewtwo, who was cringing in pain and kneeling on the ground. "No!" the bluenette hissed acidly through gritted teeth. Swiftly, Archer took the small device from his pocket and pressed the red button. The collar on the genetic Pokémon's neck began giving out electrical shocks, counterattacking his headache.

Once the collar reacted, Mewtwo yelped in sharp pain – and so did Kotone.

As if an invisible force was pushing her, Kotone was thrown backwards. Right in the nick of time and to her luck, her body crashed into Proton's arms. Unluckily for him though, the brutal impact caused the greenette to lose his balance; resulting with him being thrown off instead. His back slammed the wall and her petite body was pressed on his chest. The young executive groaned heavily at the numbing pain he felt. His right hand rubbed the back of his swollen head. Though unintentionally, his left arm was linked around her waist while his chin was rested on the brunette's head. "Oow…"

* * *

"Yes!" White cheered in triumph as the barrier disappeared. The two legendaries roared in victory. With a loud "Go!" from White, Reshiram and Zekrom sped towards the Silph building. From afar, they could see the Koffings, Zubats, and Ekans guarding around the construction. N looked at White, mouth forming a small concerned frown. "White, what do we…?"

"Leave that to me."

The Unova couple looked up. Eyes were wide to see Silver was dangling on one of Crobat's wings. "I thought you were…" N said dumbly, forefinger pointing at the redhead.

Silver looked down. His lips curled into a grim scowl. "Your damn Zekrom almost made me _fall and turn into squash!_ Next time," Silver flailed his free arm as he scolded, "try to watch where _your damn friends are!_"

N and White blinked in stupor. Crobat just sighed at his trainer's attitude. Even though the man was yelling like a madman, the only word N could vividly hear was one. "You think of me as your friend?" The greenette flashed a wide smile, eyes sparkling under the bright sunlight. Honestly, Silver was still scary to him. But he knew deep inside that dark cold heart, the man was kind and nice; funny even since Silver had a sarcastic sense of humour. He stood on top of the deep black Pokémon's head as he stared at the redhead. With a childish tone – considering the situation they were now in – N said, "We're friends, now?"

Silver froze for a minute. The man stared as N looked at him in endearment. His mouth was tightly pursed as he looked away. The heat rushed into his cheeks, giving him a nice shade of red. _Me and my damn mouth…_"Crobat! Fly down, now!" Ignoring N's question, he ordered his bat Pokémon. With a growl, Crobat flew down without hesitance or fear.

Shocked by his sudden action, White gasped in horror. "Hey what are you doing?!"

The redhead kept zooming down. Seeing their enemy was approaching, the Zubats flew up. Their tiny mouths were open, ready to release Supersonic.

Even with a hundred almost surrounding them, Crobat and Silver only curved a sly smirk. With quick reflexes, Silver took hold of Sneasel's Pokéball and released him. "Blizzard!" A bright red beam flashed on the sky. The sharp claw Pokémon jumped out of his ball, his smile curving an adorable sneer. 'This will be fun.' Sneasel took one sharp breath. And just before the Zubats could touch his face, the ice-type released his attack.

Hauntingly frozen gust of ice wafted the air. The wings of the wild Pokémon became solid and icicles, making them fall to the ground. Sneasel gracefully landed onto the ground. As he looked upfront, numerous Koffings and Ekans growled, hissed, and crouched in front of him. Without a minute to spare, the poison-types plunged forward.

Even so, Sneasel just smiled and waved back.

Suddenly, _BOOM!_

Feraligatr crashed landed on the ground in front of Sneasel. His red eyes were wide, almost like a maniac. The huge water starter roared malevolently, his tail slamming the ground hard. It caused tiny earthquakes, making the wild Pokémon trip and lost their balance. The starter crouched down, lips pulled up into a heavy snarl. His claws pointed and spread, Feraligatr glared at his stunned enemies.

'Stay away from my family, you jackasses!' Feraligatr roared savagely. With a loud huff, he released Hydro Cannon. The huge and powerful gush of water slammed the wild Pokémon backwards with such intense speed. At the same time, Sneasel hopped on top of the big jaw's head and puffed out another Blizzard.

In less than seconds, their opponents turned into a block of ice.

Silver landed with ease. He rubbed his wrist, silver eyes glaring at the statuesque creatures. "Never-" He hissed between his gritted teeth, "-mess with me."

His Pokémon replied him with a loud arrogant scoff.

Zekrom and Reshiram landed behind the redhead. Eyes wide, White and N hopped down as they could only stare at Silver in shock. "Whoah..." The brunette's mouth muttered, obviously amazed Silver's speedy work. Her cousin wasn't lying when she said he was the second strongest in Johto.

Though amazement was sensing in the air, unlike Silver who was always boastful and arrogant, this time, he simply tilted his head slightly to face the people behind him. "Let's move," he said sternly. Silver faced the entrance. Fists clenched and jaws tightening, he ordered, "Feraligatr, smash it!"

"What?" N asked dumbfoundedly like Silver had just asked for the impossible – in which to him, it was.

With a loud roar, the big jaw Pokémon lowered his head and stampeded forward.

_SMASH!_

The glass door shattered into a million pieces. Once inside, Feraligatr stood proudly and released a deafening roar. His trainer walked in calmly through the tattered glass. He looked around, eyes sharp at his surroundings. The lobby was empty, that wasn't a shocker. The man then spotted a security camera moving and swaying at the top corner.

Silver snapped his fingers, catching Feraligatr's attention. His finger pointed towards the camera, lips posing a tight line. His starter, however, flashed a predatorily grin. The Pokémon jumped up in the air and turned around, whipping his huge tail on the device. It crashed to the ground with a loud thud, thus shutting down its system.

Silver faced the stairs. They were around and watching, he knew it. Without a word, he walked towards the steps, with his Pokémon right behind.

With all the commotion that just happened, White and N could just gawk. If she was crazy enough, she might even think that _Silver_ was the danger here. The brunette shook her head, trying to get her head in the game. "Come on, N." The woman said as she returned her Reshiram.

_Are you sure you don't want me out guarding the place, Lady White?_ The vast white Pokémon communicated with White from inside his ball. His trainer softly patted it as she placed it on her belt. "It'll be fine, Reshiram."

Exchanging his expression from shock to concern, N returned Zekrom. _Is everything alright, Sir N?_ Zekrom asked mentally as he felt a surge of doubt in his hero.

Walking a few feet behind White, N quietly answered, "I know I'm not supposed to feel this way, but I have a feeling this might not end well..."

* * *

If only Archer knew the word that was far worse that mad or frustration, he would say it.

The screen showed an image of Silver and his Pokémon. The young redhead saw the lens of the camera. His silver eyes showed empty and hatred, yet also confidence and deep determination. The bluenette saw him snapped his fingers. Then the next minute, Archer saw a huge water-type slammed one of the security cameras to the ground, and finally, just a blank screen.

His hands were balled into slow, shaking fists. "That little..."

"Kotone, you okay?"

Ariana's question rang in his ears, making Archer turn. He saw them standing around the brunette and Proton, who was still sitting and groaning on the wall. Mewtwo may have calmed down, but his former trainer was still quiet as a rock.

And to be honest, this concerned Archer for a brief moment.

But not for her; but for his plans.

Finally and suddenly, the woman fidgeted on Proton's lap. All eyes were on her. Her head was down. Her arms were limp on her side.

"Kotone...?" Proton asked slowly. His arms and hands were raised up, confused on what to do next. He heard a mumble. It was faint and barely a sound to his ears. But the man knew it was coming from the young Rocket. "H-hey...You o-" He was silenced as Kotone pushed him off and stood up.

"Destroy them..." The woman's voice was hoarse and croaked, yet deep with low growls. "I don't care how you want to do it. Finish them off and leave no mercy." Her legs still swayed, but her feet stood firmly on the ground. The brunette's arms flailed slowly on her side, gloved hands balled into tight fists. The black hat dropped from her head, letting it plop on Proton's lap. Kotone looked upfront. She flashed an eerie, murderous grin.

Ariana and Petrel took a few steps backwards. Never had they seen such a menacing gaze, let alone a rare glow in her eyes. They didn't see the smile she was always wearing. They didn't hear the laugh they were fairly annoyed of. Neither did they see a single giggle nor a chuckle.

No. What they saw wasn't the Kotone they knew – good version or bad version.

As her hazel eyes began to radiate a swirling shade of purple, Kotone hissed, "Give them a welcoming committee they'll never forget."

* * *

The place was barren than any cave. The trio walked around the hall. They had been walking and lurking around, searching for any strange presence – or Kotone.

Finally, they stopped in front of three different entrances.

"Great," White huffed sourly. "Now which way do we go?" She and N fixed their glances on Silver. The man didn't return their gazes. Instead, he peeked at Sneasel who was standing on his shoulder. "Where is she?"

The sharp claw Pokémon nodded once, knowing what he was told to do. He took one whiff of the place, smelling for any scent that smelt like Kotone. 'It's...'

Suddenly, his concentration broke as he felt his trainer's body jerk forward.

Silver, taken aback by the sudden push, cast a death glare at the greenette on his left. "Why the fuck did you push me?!"

N widened his eyes in surprise. He blinked in stupor, and so did White. He didn't even lay a single finger on him, and yet they saw that Silver was tugged forward, as if someone just pushed him. "I didn't..."

Before N could finish, White felt her body almost stumbling. "W-whoah...!" Her body tripped one foot forward. She turned around, but there was no one there. N and Silver looked at White, eyebrows raised as a question. White stared at the two men, her lips pulled into a small frown. "What just-"

And just like that, she felt her body moving backwards towards the farthest left entrance. "W-w-wa_AaaHh!_"

"White!" N shouted in panic. But just as he was about to dash off, he then heard Silver screaming. The greenette turned his head, only to see his friend zooming towards the right entrance. "Silver!"

Suddenly, he felt his body being jerked forward. N quickly looked down. Emerald eyes widened in shock to see where or what he was standing.

It wasn't the floor. It was a sliding, moving flat escalator.

"Oh-" N muttered in alarm. And as he did, the escalator zoomed in fast speed. "-noOoOoo!"

Wind was blowing through his hair and face. His feet was tripped backwards, but still on the moving contraption. He saw another entrance coming right towards him. Out of reflex, N shielded his face with his arms.

And just as he reached the doorframe, the ride stopped, causing him to trip a few steps forwards. He crashed to the ground, hitting his head on the tiled floor.

"Ow!" N yelped in pain of his forehead. The man kneeled, hand rubbing the aching throb. He then stopped to hear the door behind him slam into a shut. N turned around. Bafflement swept over him to see there was no way out; leaving just him alone.

Or so he thought.

"Hey there, pretty boy."

N faced up upfront. His heart stopped a beat to see so many Koffings floating and surrounding him. Their eyes narrowed into a sharp glare. Their teeth clenched into sinister growls. Purple smoke and fog covered the area, making N breathed out a few coughs. The greenette then saw a Weezing floating a bit higher above the crowd.

And sitting on top of the Weezing was none other than Petrel.

* * *

"Aaahh!" White fell forward as the ride stopped. With quick reflexes, she curled into a ball and crashed onto the ground. Her body feeling numb, White sat on the hard tiles and groaned quietly. "Oww..." Hand rubbing her head, she looked around.

It was empty, with only a few desks and chairs seen. "Where the hell-"

She stopped as the door behind her slammed into a shut.

Shocked, White quickly stood up and turned around. She dashed to the door and tried to open it, but it was to no avail. "Hey! Let me out!" She shouted as her fists banged the door. "Let me out dammit!" Teeth gritting tightly, the brunette reached for Samurott's Pokéball.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

A woman's voice caught her attention, making White snapped her body around. Aqua eyes widened as round plates to see none other than the female executive, Ariana. She stood with arms crossed. Her vivid red lips curved into a wide evil smile. Her Arbok coiled around her, the Pokémon's deadly eyes casting sharp glares.

"Oh. You," White hissed under her breath, body now fully facing her enemy.

* * *

As he was zooming on the moving floor, all Silver could say – or shout – were curses known to mankind. His eyes caught the sight of an exit. Once entering into a mysterious room, the escalator stopped, resulting with him being thrown forward. Silver landed on his knees, mouth hissing at the burning pain he felt. Sneasel plopped on his side. The sharp claw Pokémon exhaled a numb groan, then quickly looked at his trainer. 'Silver, you okay?'

Before the redhead could reply, they could hear a loud bang behind them. The door was shut tight.

And flying before them were a hundred Zubats.

Silver looked upfront. The Pokémon were slowly crowding in, small snarls vibrating the room.

But his anger was immediately fuelling up once he saw a certain man standing among the wild Pokémon.

Arms crossed and chest huffing out in pride, Proton flashed a sinister smirk. Golbat perched on top of his head. The bat Pokémon spat loud hisses, his wings flapping madly.

"Sup?" Proton casually said, eyes never leaving as Silver slowly stood up.

Fingers slowly clenching into balls, Silver could feel his body shaking in rage. His red bangs covered his silver eyes. His lips were pulled into a heavy growl, teeth gritting madly and tightly that his jaws hurt.

Even so, Silver didn't care, and Proton didn't even feel threatened.

With green eyes sharply glaring at his enemy, Proton only said three words. But unaware by the executives, the three of them said the same words at the same time: "_Time to die._"


	18. 17

N stood up slowly, eyes carefully focusing on the man. The executive was casually smoking, as if comfortable with the already thick fog that was oozing in the room. "You know," N coughed lightly, "smoking is bad for your health."

Petrel looked at him like he had just spoken in a native language. He chuckled dryly, faint smoke wheezing from his mouth. "Kid, I've been smoking since I was 10. I'm healthy as a Rapidash. Besides," Petrel hopped off his Weezing and threw the cigarette away, "it's you who should be worried about living right now." The man gave a lazy smirk, hand lighting up another cigarette.

N posed a tight frown. He took a few steps back, body positioning into a low crouch of defence. "You people are such scums…" he muttered grimly. "I have heard about you people before. Using Pokémon as tools…Such a disgrace to humanity…" His hands clenched into fists as he spoke. The more N thought of it, the more hatred began to sip into his mind.

However, Petrel laughed heartily like it was a compliment. "Well, what can I say? We try to do our job well. Didn't know we're that famous in Unova too." He discarded his cigar again. Hands wiping each other, the purple-haired Rocket took one step forward. "Speaking of which, I heard you're big in Unova. What is it again? Team…Plasma, right?"

N froze to hear his words. He hadn't heard that name for a long time. To him, it was something that was now irrelevant in his life. The greenette growled under his breath. To see the man smirking joyfully irritated him. "I am not involved in that kind of organization."

"Not anymore you aren't." Petrel laughed. Snapping his fingers, his Weezing floated beside him. "Nice job though. But let's see, what was your purpose again? Releasing Pokémon? Hah!" The man slapped his knee as he laughed again. "What kind of dumb-witted idea is that? Why would you want people to release Pokémon? You see, if I were you, I command my slaves to give them to me. Especially if they're strong. _Always_ give the strong type."

His words were like knives stabbing N's heart. The greenette could literally feel the vein popping in his head. His whole body began to shake. His teeth clenched so hard that his jaw began to feel numb. _This monster…How…How can he say such demonic words…_ Petrel spoke to him as if it was something good. The executive didn't give a damn about his feelings, let alone the Pokémon's. _They…They truly are such vile barbarians._

Leaning on the poison-type, Petrel nonchalantly said, "As for the weak ones, they're better off dead."

That was enough for N. "You take that _back!_" Controlled by anger, N stomped towards the man. He raised his left arm up in the air, hand balled into a fist, ready to pack a punch.

Unfortunately, before N could even close the distance, a Koffing tackled him on the stomach, resulting with the man being thrown backwards.

"Aagh!" N shouted in pain. His back felt numb. N rubbed his shoulder, mouth gasping another low groan. A deep growl snatched his attention. N looked upfront. Green eyes widened to see three Koffings zooming towards him.

This time, fortunately for him, N quickly rolled to the side, minutes before the Pokémon slammed the wall. The greenette gasped as another pain shot his back. He kneeled on the ground, mouth trying to catch some air.

Suddenly, something moved from below.

N looked down. Emerald eyes round in aghast to see that he was kneeling not on the floor, but on a bunch of Koffings. The poison gas Pokémon zoomed right up, bringing the man along.

The sudden pressure pressed N down closer to their bodies. His head looked up. Just when things weren't shocking enough, N soon realized what the Koffings were about to do to him; slam him on the ceiling like a pancake.

"N-no!" N screamed in terror. Out of reflex, the man jumped off the bed of Koffings, seconds before the Pokémon crashed and closed the distance between themselves and the ceiling. Dusts and rubbles fell from above and N crashed to the ground below. He fell on his side, which was a bad idea as N felt a sharp pain on his shoulder. The man laid on his back, mouth groaning and body arching upwards at the horrifying cramp. He then heard a cackle, fusing his pain with anger.

"What's the matter, kid? Out of breath?" Petrel asked in glee as he sat on a bed of Koffings. "That's what you get for trying to release Pokémon. Go Team Rocket! Woohoo!" He raised his arms up in the air, cheering like a cheerleader.

N frailly tried to stand up. Another growl entered his earshot, making him look up. Weezing floated in front of him, his mouth formed an evil scowl. "P-please…" N breathed slowly, then flinched to feel another pain in his shoulder. He kneeled in front of the Pokémon, hand gripping the throbbing ache. "Stop this. I know you can understand me, and I can perfectly understand you. You don't have to do this…"

Weezing raised an eyebrow, questioning on what the human was about to say.

"You don't have to do this, hurting people and Pokémon. I know you belong to that trainer. But that doesn't mean you have to listen to whatever he says…Please, I know you're being forced. Stop doing what is wrong. You are not supposed to be enslaved…You can be free…Just, let me help you…" N weakly begged, eyes glistening as he pleaded. Not only was he physically hurt, but emotionally, he was suffering. To hear Petrel's words, to see Mewtwo being controlled by an evil organization, to see Kotone being brainwashed, to see Team Rocket doing horrible things, it was killing him inside. His beliefs grew stronger still, but knowing that people like White and Kotone were still alive, he was at ease.

But now, for a brief moment as he knelt there, he wished that his _own_ organization was still alive and active, so that he could put an end to Team Rocket and changed the world for his own good.

Suddenly, his mind stopped as he heard and saw Weezing released a hearty laugh. Gasses poofed out of his body. He looked up, still cackling like N had just told a hilarious joke. 'What a nincompoop!'

N's body froze as the Pokémon ridiculed him.

Weezing looked down at N. He floated an inch closer, his eyes glaring at the man's emeralds. 'Let me tell you something, you twat. You have shit wrong. I _like_ being in Team Rocket. I wasn't forced by anybody. My master is the only person I listen to, and I regret nothing. I don't feel like a slave. I love my master and I love hurting people and Pokémon. To me, weak people and Pokémon should die. They're like trash in this world and trash should be disposed of.'

Once those words tapped into N's mind, it was as if the world had stopped for him.

"H-how…" N mumbled dumbly, eyes wide as they could be. Never had he heard such words from a Pokémon before. Never in his life. From a human, yes. But from a Pokémon? All his life, N was raised with hurt Pokémon. He was told many times that humans harmed them; brought them to slavery and such. N believed them. N believed them truly. He had set it in his mind that humans harm Pokémon and all Pokémon are innocent and sweet.

But now, floating right in front of him, the Pokémon that had said such ghastly words into his ears, it left N in a dumbfounded and heartbroken state.

Weezing chuckled maliciously. He drifted closer as the man could only gawk at him. 'Let me tell you something, kid. It's survival of the fittest. You either eat or be eaten. And I don't care about weak Pokémon. All I care is strength and power for my master.' He floated a few steps back. N hadn't moved. His emerald eyes stared at him in despair. The gasses around Weezing's body intensified.

N wanted to cry. He wanted to pretend that all the words Weezing had said wasn't true. He wanted to forget it like it never happened.

But judging by the sinister smirk the poison gas Pokémon gave him, it broke N to realize that everything he just said was from his own mouth.

'What a weak prey,' Weezing said coyly. Finally, with one huff, he released Sludge Bomb.

Petrel sat quietly, lips grinning to see that the man was about to be disintegrated into smithereens.

Suddenly, 'That. Is. _IT!_'

A bright red light flashed before their eyes. It blinded N for a second, making him shield his eyes with his hand. A loud yet familiar roar filled his earshot, followed with another sound of something slicing. The light faded and N opened his eyes.

Bafflement swept into him to see none other than Zoroark standing between him and Weezing.

Petrel's and Weezing's eyes were wide to see a rare Pokémon. Zoroark crouched down, lips pulled into a savage snarl. His eyes narrowed as he glared at his enemies. 'Nobody hurts my brother, you bloody bastards!

N blinked for a few seconds, shocked that the illusion fox Pokémon was able to release himself from his ball. "Zor…Zoroark! How did you…?"

'Give me an order.'

His best friend's words seized his mind shut. "Wait what?"

Zoroark peeked at N. 'Give me an order, N. I need to take these guys down. But I can't do that well unless you guide me.'

The thought of N ordering Zoroark disturbed him terribly. The man shook his head fast, obviously neglecting the idea. 'No! I promise myself to never battle again. White may have won the battle for our future, but that doesn't mean I have to cha-"

'Look N!" The illusion fox Pokémon turned around and barked at him. 'Yes I do respect your ideals. Yes I do and foremost honour your beliefs on not battling. And most of all, I love you like a brother. But look at this!' He flailed his arms around the room. 'These Pokémon are not good guys. Face it. Not all Pokémon are good, N. And I cannot sit and stand in my ball to see my one and only childhood friend being boiled in a glob of toxic! Oh I can play nice and not battle.' His teeth were bared, letting out a deep, low growl. 'But when someone threatens my friend, be it human or Pokémon, I will _KILL THEM!_'

N was dumbstruck as a rock. Zoroark's explanations left him speechless. He had never used Zoroark in battle before – not once. He had seen his friend sparred with White's Pokémon once in a while, and even that upset him.

He looked around. The Koffings around them were anything but welcoming. They glared at N like he was their lunch. N didn't see innocence. Neither did he saw niceness. His eyes stayed put on Weezing. The poison gas Pokémon floated beside Petrel. Their eyes gave deadly glares, with the executive's mouth ready to open and give out orders. N blinked as he stared. Weezing's words twirled in his mind, shattering the belief he had held for so long.

The thought of hurting Pokémon. The thought of battling Pokémon. The thought of laying even a single scratch on Pokémon. The thought of Pokémon being the purest creatures in the world.

The thought of a Pokémon confessing that he would rather kill just for the sake of joy.

_"You're my awesome N! You're strong and awesome and nobody stands in your way! You make Pokémon happy because you have a strong heart and mind!"_

'N, you're my brother! Now and forever yay!'

Just as he was about to feel that all hope was lost, White's and Zoroark's words rang in his ears.

His world may not be perfect, but that doesn't mean he was going to give up.

Slowly and without a word, N stood up. Zoroark raised an eyebrow in confusion and anticipation. Even Petrel moved closer, getting slightly curious and irritated at the quiet scene.

"You're right, Zoroark," N said slowly, the visor of his cap hiding his eyes. "I still believe in my ideals, and I'm still ghastly about Pokémon being evil themselves. Heck, I'm still confused and shocked." Finally, he looked at Zoroark. His expression was stern. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up just because of some little changes in life." The man cast a sharp glare at Petrel. His teeth gritting tightly, N added, "And I definitely don't want criminals destroying the world, people, and Pokémon that I dearly loved…"

Hearing his words, Zoroark smiled proudly. 'That's my N.' The illusion fox Pokémon turned around, back in his crouching position. Sensing his predatory state, Koffings and Weezing growled heavily, exhaling more gasses.

With his fists slowly clenching by his sides and eyes sharply focusing on Petrel, N calmly commanded, "Zoroark, Night Slash."

The dark-type howled angrily before zooming towards his prey.

* * *

The two ladies stood in front of each other, eyes never leaving their sights. Arbok slithered around Ariana, head purring on top of the redhead's head. Ariana patted Arbok's head, her lips curving a sinister smirk. "So, you're one of those little _brats_ that are causing mayhem for Team Rocket."

White scoffed sourly, hands holding her waist. "And you're what? One of those _senior citizens_ that are trying to stop us? Hah! You make me laugh."

Ariana stopped her patting. Her hand rolled in fist, enraged that White would label her as a senior citizen. "I am _not_ old!" She stomped her foot. With a low hiss, Arbok moved away from Ariana. "And you should respect Team Rocket, you little witch!"

It infuriated Ariana more to see White casually checking her nails. Not a single trace of fear was seen on the brunette. "Judging by those wrinkles under your eyes, you look at about 80."

Out of reflex, Ariana quickly touched the skin under her eye, only to stop abruptly, realizing what she was doing. Her left eye twitched at the statement. "_You ignorant little b-!_" She wanted to run after her. She wanted to grab that ignorant woman's neck and choke her to death. But Ariana knew better. She inhaled and exhaled a few breaths, calming down. _This child is being completely disrespectful!_ The woman looked at White. The brunette's hand was about to reach a ball on her belt. Seeing this, it gave Ariana a small grin. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Another scoff. "Don't tell me what to do. Now where's Kotone?"

The female executive held her hip. "Don't be rude to me, you stupid brat. And where Kotone is, is none of your business."

White's lips pulled into an angry frown. "You're damn right it's my business. She's my cousin. Now tell me where she is before I unleash hell on you."

To her surprise, Ariana rebutted her threat with a mocking cackle. "I don't think that will be necessary, you twerp. Arbok!"

Suddenly, a loud hiss was heard from behind White. Before she could turn around, she felt her leg being wrapped and her body being lifted upside-down. "Hey!" White looked from her shoulder. Arbok had been creeping behind her while the women were talking.

Another laugh exited Ariana's mouth. "That's for calling me a senior citizen, you brat." The woman calmly walked towards the dangling trainer. She stopped just in front of her, her grin never gone from her face.

Seeing the grin, it was enough to cause all kinds of anger in White. "Put me down, you stupid old hag!"

"Why you little!" The executive shouted again. Even with her life in danger, her enemy was still able to call her names. Teeth clenching madly, Ariana took White's Pokéballs from her belt.

"Hey! Give them back!" White screamed in fear for her Pokémon. This finally made Ariana smile again. The redhead didn't say a word. Instead, she took a few steps backwards and her arms cupped the balls. "Damn it! Give them back! Get your stinking hands off my Pokémon!"

Fortunately, Ariana did release the Pokéballs.

Unfortunately, "Okay then." She threw them up in the air.

Aqua eyes widened in shock. "My-" Before she could finish, White felt her body being thrown to the wall. Her back crashed onto the hard wall, mouth crying in pain as a response. But her agony was placed at the far back of her mind as the safety for her Pokémon dominated first. She snapped her eyes open, seeing the balls were falling to the ground. "My babies!"

The redheaded Rocket laughed louder. "Glue them tight!"

Once hearing her command, Arbok slithered under the falling Pokéballs and stood up straight. Inhaling sharply, the poison-type released small chunks of purple goo. It slapped and covered the front of the Pokéballs, disabling White's Pokémon from letting themselves out.

Once knowing what Arbok was doing, it terrified White. "No!" Her head quickly looked around. Suddenly, she saw a chair. Jumping back to her feet, the brunette swiftly took hold of the chair's legs and swung it to Arbok.

Thanks to her perfect aim, it hit Arbok on the head, stopping her from exhaling poisonous substances. Without another thought, White dashed towards her Pokéballs and jumped up in the air; right above the dangerous cobra Pokémon.

Her arms swiftly caught her Pokéballs. But at the same time, Arbok had snapped out of dizziness and opened her mouth widely, ready to swallow the fallen White.

The brunette looked down. Her heart stopped a beat to see the danger that was ready to eat her. "Fuck off!" Thinking fast, she used up all her strength and roughly kicked the cobra Pokémon's left jaw. Arbok hissed loudly in pain and fell to the side. White landed and rolled on the floor, her Pokéballs close to her chest. The brunette sat on her knees and checked her Pokéballs.

To her dismay, the Pokéballs were glued shut.

But only one was still free from any bind.

Ariana quickly ran towards her groaning Arbok. "You bitch! How dare you hurt my baby!"

White stood up and turned her heels, eyes deadly glaring at Ariana. "Your baby?! How dare you hurt _mine!_"

The executive stared at the purple-covered Pokéballs. Her frown was replaced with a wide, evil smile. The woman burst a joyful laugh, happy that her plan had worked. "Now there's nothing that can help you, slut!"

Calling a bitch was one thing. But calling White a slut was crossing the line. "I am not a slut you fucked up fucker!" Quickly placing the balls in her satchel, White held the one ball that was clean. "And you missed one, stupid!"

That was good to wipe out Ariana's smile.

"I choose you!" White shouted in wrath. The ball opened, red light expelling from it.

And coming out of the Pokéball, was Lillil the Lilligant.

The flowering Pokémon blinked in confusion. White froze in dumbstruck. Ariana and Arbok stared dumbly. Of all the balls that were safe, Lilligant – the grass-type Pokémon – was the only one abled to battle. _Uh oh…_

It was a few minutes of silence before Ariana burst into cackles. "What dumb luck for you!" She held her stomach and leaned on her Arbok. The cobra Pokémon herself was laughing in glee. "The only safe Pokémon you have is a weak grass type! Hah! Who's a fucked up fucker now?!"

White growled under her breath. It's not that she doubted Lillil, but as much as she hated to admit it, Ariana had a point. Arbok was a _poison_-type. Lillil was a _grass_-type.

Lillil, on the other hand, flinched to hear such taunting. 'Hey!'

Ariana and Arbok were too busy laughing at her. "You have no chance against me, child. Your Pokémon will be dead in seconds!"

Her leafy hands curled into fists. 'Why you little…'

Arbok snickered happily. 'Thisss will be too eassssy.'

Her perfectly white teeth clenched inside Lillil's mouth. 'That…'

"Oh darling, my Arbok will enjoy munching on that piece of outdated vegetable.'

That was the last straw. '_Outdated vegetable?!_' Eyes gleaming brightly, Lillil cupped her hands together and released Energy Ball. Due to the fact that they were completely distracted by laughter, it hit perfectly on Arbok's chest, resulting with her body being violently thrown backwards. Ariana stopped immediately. She dumbly looked behind, only to see Arbok slumping on the wall.

_What the…?_ The Rocket was too shocked to even process words in her mind. Her Pokémon had been hit by a grass move! She faced White and Lillil. The flowering Pokémon's body was shaking and her looks were fuming with anger.

"She is-" White hissed lowly, "-_not_ an outdated vegetable!"

Right after she had said those words, a huge aura exploded around Lillil. Hundreds of flowers swirled around the grass-type. The Lilligant stood in place, never even moving a muscle. Her beautiful orange eyes shot a brutal glare at her enemies.

Ariana was baffled and angry at the same time. Unwarily, her feet scooted a few steps back, taken aback by the high level of energy Lillil was releasing. Arbok quickly regained back to her stand and swiftly positioned herself in front of Ariana, protecting her. The poison-type lowered in a defence crouch, mouth hissing madly at the Lilligant.

Seeing the fear in the Rocket's eyes, White couldn't help but laugh. "What's the matter? Afraid of a little flower?"

Taking it as a command, Lillil inclined her head and furiously spat, 'I'll show _you_ who's _FUCKING OUTDATED!_'

* * *

The room was silent with tension wafting in the air. Both men stood and faced each other. One was filled with pent up frustration while the other was casually crossing his left leg. Sounds of Zubats flapping surrounded the room, even blocking their only exit. Even so, escaping wasn't on the redhead's mind. Instead, vengeance was slowly conquering his train of thoughts.

Proton took one step forward. A growl was heard; it was Sneasel. He looked at the sharp claw Pokémon. An amused chuckle breezed through his lips, remembering a certain memory that involved a certain Sneasel once. The greenette looked at Silver. Age had served the man well, that Proton wouldn't lie. Yet the Rocket could see the tension in his eyes and clenched teeth. He merely chuckled again. "So, how's life for ya?"

Silver didn't answer, which wasn't a surprise. Neither did he cast his gaze away. Proton knew the glare Silver gave was a deadly one. Heck, if Proton guessed, he knew the young man was thinking about stabbing him to death.

Or kicking his head.

Or both.

Finally, he let out a bored sigh and closed his eyes. "You know, you're a lot fun to talk to when you were in Team Rocket."

Well, that broke Silver's silence. "I am _not_ a Rocket!"

Proton opened one eye, lips forming a sarcastic smile. "Oh please! You were once so _proud_ being a Rocket! Heck, you were damn proud that you were the boss' son." He shrugged lazily, hands digging in his pockets.

Every word he said. Every word he heard. It fumed Silver like oil spilling on a raging fire. "I am not proud…" He hissed like a Seviper. "I am never proud. You people are scums. You people are idiots! I am _never_associated with nimrods like you!"

This time, Proton laughed heartily. "Dude! Face it! No matter how many times you say that, Team Rocket will always be in you!"

Silver could feel his heart stop. His breathing felt heavy and unbearable. The smirk Proton wore made him cringe.

"If I want to quit Team Rocket – and everyone knows I don't ever want to – I can leave it all behind me coz I'm not connected to them mutually. You, on the other hand," Proton said in a relaxed tone, "are connected to Team Rocket _by blood_. You can't quit even if you want to. Your dad's the boss. You were practically born and raised by Team Rocket. So face it. If it weren't for us, you wouldn't be alive today." His smirk grew wider and Proton stopped on his tracks. Golbat stayed airborne above the man's head.

'Stop that!' Sneasel barked angrily, even though the executive didn't understand. He peeked at Silver, who wore a devastated mask. Concern filled him, along with anger.

Silver shut his eyes and mentally counted to ten. But it wasn't working, for all he saw was his mother. A gulp slipped down his throat, feeling like he choked on cold ice rather than saliva. The man opened his eyes and glared at his smiling enemy. "Say all you want," he finally said. "I am not involved. Not anymore. I may be that damn man's child. But I am not that damn man at all."

Proton crossed his arms against his chest and scoffed, "Really? Coz last time I remember, you wanted to be like him."

"Shut the fuck up!" Silver shouted, voice louder than before.

The green-haired man cackled again, enjoying his witty torture. "Man, I kinda miss hanging out with you and snapping some Pidgey wings. Oh well, so much for bros before hoes." He went silent for a second. Proton looked at Silver, mind having another idea. His smirk growing wider, Proton casually added, "Speaking of hoes, Kotone's a pretty hot chick."

And for that short moment, Silver felt his soul drifting away.

"What…" He stuttered. "What did you say…?"

Happy that the man finally had a vivid response, Proton continued, "I mean seriously, dude. How did you end up getting a hottie like that? I've been a bad boy all my life and I still haven't land a babe like Kotone. Huh, guess being weak has its perks, eh?"

Silver's jaw was tightening so hard, it hurt. But his focus was more on Proton's words and the wellbeing of his beloved Kotone. Her name being slurred out by the bastard's lips. Her presence being acknowledged by the bastard himself. It was giving Silver a whole new temper he didn't know he had.

"Where is she…?" Silver asked, voice deep with hatred and malice. The thought of Proton laying a single finger at Kotone…

As if Proton had read his mind, the executive happily replied, "And let me tell you, she does have soft lips for an annoying little brunette."

_Snap!_

Silver's thin line of sanity and patience had snapped completely.

"_DIE DIE DIE **FUCKING DIE!**_" He yelled like a maniac, feet automatically rushing towards the Rocket. Silver raised his right fist and positioned next to his head, ready to destroy the man's face.

Sadly, Zubats began to quickly tackle him, sending Silver backwards. The redhead crashed to the ground, but he then swiftly hopped back to his feet. "Nobody. Touches. _MY._ Kotone!" He dashed again, giving his assault a second chance. His eyes dilated terrifyingly. Rage, jealousy, and foremost of all, complete wrath blinded him. Sneasel tried to call out Silver's name, hoping to stop him before he actually got hurt. But it was to no avail. Silver was drunk with rage.

And just like the sharp claw Pokémon ghastly predicted, the Zubats tackled Silver again. To make it worse, the bat Pokémon nibbled on Silver's jacket and sleeves, lifting him up in the air. 'Silver!'

The man was bewildered. He flailed and kicked madly, trying to let loose. "Let me go, you stupid piece of trash!"

Proton laughed enjoyably at the scene. "Once a weakling, always a weakling!"

Suddenly, a bright flash blinded their eyes. Proton flinched and cursed as he shielded his eyes. His ears caught sounds of brutal roars. Before the Rocket could look, he felt something slamming his chest. "Oof!" Proton slumped to the ground, hands gripping something soft. He quickly opened his eyes, only to see a fainted Zubat lying on his stomach. The greenette looked up. His green eyes were round in shock to see Silver floating, along with Alakazam by the man's side.

Not only that, but all six of his Pokémon were out, growling and barking insanely at Proton.

Silver landed gently on the ground. The man stood in front of his team, silver eyes narrowed in utmost demise. "That was a _huge_ mistake." He spat acidly. In unison, his Pokémon crouched in attack position and hissed like maniacs. There were no sparks of joy in their eyes. There were no cries of happiness and innocence in their voices.

Instead, all that was present were the appearance and sounds of a maniacal predator ready to tear his prey into tiny pieces.

The Zubats swarmed behind Proton, ready to attack. The man stood back on his feet and wiped the dusts from his shoulders. He threw the fainted Zubat away, disgusted by its sight. He looked at Silver. The man meant business now.

And that was exactly what Proton wanted. "Finally, a little challenge in killing you."

Silver's Pokémon snarled atrociously. Feraligatr stomped forward and stopped beside his trainer. The water starter crouched lowly, his claws out and ready to slash some flesh. His red eyes were red and filled with a murderous look. His lips were pulled back into a deadly snarl, mouth craving for blood – or in this case, _Team Rocket's_ blood.

Finally, a disbelieving chuckle burst through Silver's mouth. "Kill me?" His chuckle evolved into crazed laughter. "Kill me?! Kill. _ME?!_" He cocked his head upwards and cackled like a maniac. It was so scary, it even confused Proton. And to be honest, he was beginning to question the redhead's sanity.

Finally, Silver stopped laughing and looked forward. "The only person dying today-" He smirked devilishly, "- is _YOU!_"

In a blink of an eye, Feraligatr roared savagely and rocketed forward.

* * *

The fight had begun. The battle had exploded. The screen showed various images and scenes of various battles. Sounds of roars and explosion echoed inside the laboratory. The only light present was from the screens.

Standing in front of the monitors was a young woman, head down and eyes staring at the tinkering machinery. Her arms were stretched straight as her palms pressed the cold contraption. On her right hand was a gun, fingers twirling and wrapping around the cold metal. Her finger touched the trigger. Her lips formed a straight line, showing no signs of emotion.

Finally, the woman looked up, staring at the screen. Her eyes stopped on an image of Silver commanding his Pokémon. "Die…" she faintly murmured. "All of them…must die…"

Without another word, she turned her heels and walked to the office room. "Die…"

And as she walked, her eyes gleamed a maliciously bright purple glow.


	19. 18

Sounds of Pokémon roaring and walls crumbling echoed inside the room. Dust flew everywhere. N brought his arms to his eyes, shielding them. The man looked around. He could see Zoroark tackling a few Koffings. The illusion fox Pokémon crouched on all fours before unleashing another Night Slash. "Zoroark! Be careful!" N shouted at his friend, still worried about his wellbeing. It wasn't that he doubted the dark-type, but judging by the amount of enemies present, N couldn't push away the concern even if he wanted to.

The place had turned into a battlefield. The man coughed lightly, exhaling the faint dust that sipped into his nostrils and mouth. N took a few steps backwards, hands closed to his stomach.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

A sudden voice rang in his ears, making N look up. His emerald eyes widened to see Petrel sitting on his Weezing. The executive flashed a devious smirk as he crossed his left leg above his right. "Weezing, Sludge Bomb!" The man commanded sternly, a cigarette dangling in his mouth. The poison gas Pokémon took one sharp breath and spat out chunks of thick, purple goo.

The purple poison zoomed towards N. The man cringed to see it plummeting down. His head quickly moved left and right. His eyes stopped to see a trashcan's lid. Without time to spare, the greenette took it, crouched down, and shielded his head with the metal cover. He felt his body being pushed backwards as the sludge hit the shield.

Finally, the assault ended, but N could hear something boiling. He looked at the lid – which was now melted in half. A wave of utter shock slammed into him, making his mind froze in disbelief. The sound of Petrel's cackle bounced in between the sounds of manic roars. N looked up, teeth gritting and lips pulled into an angry frown. His emerald eyes stared at Weezing, who was prepared to exhale another attack.

"No!" N hissed sharply. Without a second thought, he threw the lid up like a flying disc, rocketing right towards the laughing Rocket. N's perfect aim was proven excellent, for the lid perfectly slammed Petrel's stomach, seizing him from his laughter. The attack caused him to fall off his Weezing and crashed to the ground. "Oof!" The executive groaned and cursed in pain. He glared at his enemy, who was standing close to a wall. "You little brat! Weezing!"

The poison gas Pokémon barked angrily. 'You'll pay for hurting my master!' Weezing spat out another Sludge Bomb. N winced in fear as his hands pressed the wall, terrifyingly knowing that he was all out of options for shields.

In a blink of an eye, Zoroark appeared before his best friend. 'I said _back off!_' His furry claws cupped together, and the illusion fox Pokémon quickly released Shadow Ball. It collided with Weezing's poisonous attack, causing the two to merge and explode. Zoroark and N bent and looked away, arms covering their faces from the aftermath. While Petrel and Weezing, who had no time to protect themselves, were thrown backwards by the shattering blast.

The two Unova males stood straight and looked forward. Their eyes caught sight of a few Koffings rushing to Petrel's and Weezing's aid. N stared at his friend, eyebrows raised in obvious surprise. "I didn't know you can learn a ghost move?"

Zoroark chuckled dryly, body still crouching down and claws clenching. 'White taught me that move with the TM she gave me. She figured since I was such an awesome spar partner, she thought having different moves will give me an advantage.' He turned and looked at N, a small apologetic grin curving his lips. 'Sorry I didn't tell you. I know you were uncomfortable about me battling. And even White told me to keep it a secret, just so it won't hurt your feelings.'

A frown bestowed on the former king's face. N crossed his arms against his chest and puffed, "At least tell me…" Despite the situation they were in, N was now more concerned at the fact that White and Zoroark were keeping secrets from him. "I won't feel bothered…much."

He heard Zoroark breathed a small laugh. 'Sorry, N. Oh and another thing.' Loud barks and hisses occupied their ears. Both men looked upfront, seeing another pack of Koffings plummeting towards them.

With a wide smirk, Zoroark happily said, 'That's not the only move White taught me.'

The illusion fox Pokémon took one deep breath. His human friend was back in a state of panic and awareness. N opened his mouth, ready to command Shadow Ball.

But before he could even squeak, Zoroark exhaled Flamethrower.

Emerald eyes were round as they could be. His mouth hanged low to see the burning flame hit their enemies. _Zoroark is…is exhaling __**fire?!**_ He could accept the fact that the dark-type was capable of learning ghost-type moves, but expelling fire from his mouth? That, N was caught completely off guard.

Zoroark snickered enjoyably, happy to see his enemies fell in flames. 'Just because I rarely battle, doesn't mean I don't know how.' The illusion fox Pokémon glared at the enemy in front of him. A Koffing flew towards him, his teeth was seen clenching madly. With a smile, Zoroark released Flamethrower again as the poison gas Pokémon exhaled Toxic. The flames collided with the gas, creating a thicker fog that covered half the room. N cupped his mouth and nose, preventing the smoke from entering his lungs. His best friend growled steadily, anticipating for another attack.

Suddenly, the gas disappeared. Once vision was clear to them, N and Zoroark looked in front. Their eyes widened to see more Koffings floating about. Even Weezing and Petrel stood before them, looking anything but pleased. Not a smile was seen on the Rocket's face. Finally, he showed anger and demise, indicating that N had pressed his buttons. "Tch," Petrel scoffed bitterly, his lower lip feeling sore at the slight torn he had thanks to the explosion. "You have guts kid, I give you that. To think that you've hurt me." A single drop of blood trickled on his shredded cheek. The executive wiped it off with the back of his hand, eyes never averting from the greenette.

"And to make matters worse, I ran out of cigarettes. Now you've _really_ made me angry." Petrel clenched his fists as he cursed. Koffings raised a few feet up in the air, poofing out gasses in resent.

N scorned sourly as a rebuttal. "You asked for this. I asked nicely but you brought this violence by yourself. Now, I'm going to take a long shot and ask nicely. Let my friends go and nobody gets hurt."

To his expectations, Petrel replied with a mocking laugh. "You are seriously a moron!"

'Hey!' Zoroark shouted at the Rocket, his claws out and ready to tear the human's face into shreds.

Understanding the Pokémon or not, Petrel ignored him. "But let's make a deal."

That took N and Zoroark by surprise. It was sudden. Petrel's voice sounded so relax than a few minutes ago. N bit the insides of his cheeks, hesitating to bring the conversation further, knowing very well it will lead into something he will clearly disagree. He could see the grin on Petrel's face, increasing his doubt even more.

'I don't like this…' Zoroark growled lowly, teeth closed together as he muttered. His human friend merely nodded, agreeing with him. Petrel tapped his right foot, impatiently waiting for a response.

Even with all the hesitance and doubt residing in N's heart, he pushed himself to ask, "What is the deal?"

And just like N had thought, Petrel answered, "Give me your Pokémon."

Before the executive could finish inhaling, N yelled a sharp, "Hah!" He quickly shook his head, hand unwarily moving to Zekrom's Pokéball. "As if I will ever hand in my precious friends to a monster like you!"

Petrel chuckled sourly and crossed his arms. "Look kid. I'm not blind or stupid. I know you have a damn ass powerful Pokémon on your belt. So I'm being nice here and making a deal with ya. Gimme that Pokémon and the legendary too." His grin evolved into a smile as he wrathfully hissed, "And if you do, I will kill you fast and painlessly."

'Why you little-' Zoroark barked louder, angry that Petrel would consider such words as a good negotiation. Before he could dash forward, N stretched his arm in front of him, blocking the illusion fox Pokémon. N glared at the Rocket, looking not surprised and definitely not amused. "I don't think so."

Petrel responded with a rude scoff. "I'm being nice, and all I get is denial. Tch," he muttered grimly, hands holding his waist. The executive looked at N, mouth twitching into a bored frown. "Well, you asked for it." The frown slowly turned into a smile as he shouted, "And now you die slowly and with complete _pain!_"

With deep barks, the Koffings zoomed again towards N and Zoroark. The dark-type barked wildly and breathed out Flamethrower. At the same time, the enemies released Toxic, creating yet again another thick smoke. It blocked their vision, enabling the man and his friend to take cover. N cupped his nose and mouth with his hands, eyes narrowing down as he tried to focus. He heard Zoroark hissed bitterly, catching his attention.

'Beating these guys is easy,' Zoroark cursed without casting a glance at N. 'But there are too many of them. If this keeps up, I might really lose my energy and we'll really be doomed.'

N's heart stopped a beat to hear his friend's explanation. He looked forward. The smoke was beginning to lift up, and the Koffings' voices were getting louder in his ears. He bit his lower lip, trying to think of a way out of here – and survive, especially.

'As long as that damn Weezing is still alive and moving, those Koffings won't listen to anyone else and attack us by his command…' Zoroark added, ready to make a move as the sounds were getting closer.

Suddenly, that gave N an idea. "That's it!" He clapped his hands, making the illusion fox Pokémon jump a little. Zoroark turned his head and curiously looked at N, a single eyebrow raised. The greenette flashed an assuring smile, telling Zoroark that N had a plan. "Here's what you do."

On the other side of the fog, Petrel was getting anxious and impatient. He covered his mouth and nose with his palm. His teeth gritted madly. Apparently, Petrel had underestimated N's strength. Never did he think it would take this long to exterminate him.

The young man had gone too far. He had his fun. And now it was time to end it. "Weezing! Suck this gas dammit!" Petrel ordered sternly, feeling very unpleasant. With a scowl, the gas Pokémon sucked in all the dirty air. Their vision slowly came back, and Petrel could see two figures before him. One was N, obviously. But as soon as the fog was gone, both Weezing and Petrel were shocked beyond their wits.

Standing – or rather, floating – in front of N was another Weezing.

The other poison gas Pokémon, who was secretly Zoroark in disguise, growled deeply, eyes on his enemies. The Koffings seized their attacks, confused at the presence of another Weezing. 'What are you doing?' Zoroark asked angrily as he floated to them. 'Why are you attacking us? Attack those buffoons behind you!'

The wild Pokémon turned around, looking at Team Rocket in confusion. Petrel and Weezing were stunned. 'What are _you_ doing?! They're the enemy, attack them!' Weezing demanded sharply. Never did the two Rockets know that the illusion fox Pokémon could transform. The Koffings were seen exchanging glances between him and the fake Weezing. Clearly they were in a daze on which to obey. Weezing clenched his teeth harder, getting infuriated with the situation.

Petrel however began to scoot back, finally feeling a sense of panic.

N stayed in his place. The plan was moving smoothly. The Koffings were now confused since they were not actually captured by Petrel. "Now," he ordered, fingers pointing towards the original and distracted Weezing, "Shadow Ball!"

Without a minute to spare, Zoroark opened his mouth and released Shadow Ball. The ghostly orb zoomed right past the dumbstruck Koffing, and before Weezing could dodge, it slammed him right on the head. The poison gas Pokémon was thrown backwards, crashing violently into a brick wall. Petrel froze in aghast as he saw his fallen Pokémon. This time, no Koffings aid to his help since there was also another 'Weezing' in command.

N, taking no chance to stop, commanded, "Now, Zoroark! Dark Pulse!"

Zoroark shut his eyes, concentrating his mind. Before Weezing could even fidget, the illusion fox opened his eyes and released Dark Pulse. Deep black balls rocketed towards the weak enemy, slamming Weezing all at once.

And finally, knocking him out.

"No!" Petrel shrieked in terror. He gawked at N and Zoroark, then at the Koffings. "What are you waiting for? _Destroy them all!_"

But to his dismay, the Koffings just gave a blank look at him.

"No, no, _**NO!**_" The executive stomped his feet angrily. His hands reached for a gun on his belt, eyes glaring darkly at the greenette.

This time, their roles were switched. N flashed a sneaky grin while Petrel scorned in panic. Zoroark, who was still in Weezing form, quickly ordered, 'Take that gun away from him and surround him!'

The poison gas Pokémon, now following their new leader, swiftly zoomed towards Petrel and snatched his gun. "Hey!" Petrel shouted. Suddenly, one of the Koffings tackled his stomach, causing him to fall on the floor. "Oof!" The purple-haired man groaned in pain as he held his sore stomach. Once his eyes were opened, fear was quickly swept into him.

All the Koffings had already crowded him like a trapped Pokémon.

Sounds of feet walking entered his earshot. N stood not far from the Koffings. His expression was blank, yet eyes dimmed a hatred glow. "Since you adore smoking so much," the man casually said, voice sounding like a powerful king. "Let's see how you deal with some smoke."

With a devilish grin, Zoroark exclaimed, 'Toxic!'

Petrel's eyes were wide as ever, face showing nothing but terror. He gawked as the Koffings around him took one sharp breath.

And before the man could scream, the purple fog began covering his vision; entering every inch of his organs.

N watched as the wild Pokémon did their job. Usually, he will have slight sympathy in a situation like this. But this time, after all the executive had said and done, sympathy was the last thing on N's mind. He didn't chuckle nor laugh, but a small twitch of a sneer painted his face, enjoying the fact that the Rocket had obtained his punishment.

'Here you go, N.' Zoroark's voice caught N's attention. He looked to his side. In Zoroark's mouth, who still resembled a Weezing, was a card. The illusion fox Pokémon flashed a boyish smile. N returned his smile and took the key card from his mouth. Once taken, Zoroark spun upside-down and reverted back to his original form. 'Come on.'

N nodded once. The two quickly rushed towards the door and N slid the card to its slot. The door immediately opened, and without haste, the childhood friends dashed to find their friends.

After all that N had seen and experienced before his very eyes, the only thing he wanted to do now was one thing: _Eliminate Team Rocket._

-

Lillil quickly dodged before Arbok could sink her fangs. The flowering Pokémon skipped to the side and released Energy Ball. Sadly, Arbok whipped it away with her tail and charged for her again. 'That will never work, girl,' the cobra Pokémon hissed mockingly as she spat Poison Sting.

Lillil evaded her again, but loudly scoffed at her enemy's remark. 'Oh shut up, you wuss!'

White stood from a distance, eyes carefully focusing on her Lilligant. Her fists were clenched and toes were curled inside her army boots. Lillil was strong enough to wipe out an entire Pokémon team once, but to her dismay, the Arbok herself looked brutal enough to meet her match. "Lillil! Petal Dance-"

"Hiyaahh!"

"What the-" Before White could finish, she turned around. Her aqua eyes were wide to see Ariana charging towards her – while holding a whip. "Whoah!" Thanks to her quick feet, the brunette quickly jumped out of the way, seconds before the whip slashed the tiled floor. It gave out a deep crack, shattering the floor with just one slash. She slid backwards, body crouching down to regain balance. White looked up and gawked at the redheaded executive. "Hey!"

Ariana chuckled grimly. Her heels tapped slowly towards her. She wrapped the whip in her fingers and harshly tugged it. "Your fight is with me, darling." Ariana muttered sternly, red eyes deadly staring at her enemy.

White stood up straight, enraging her each second as she stood before Ariana. She huffed sourly as she wiped the dust off the edge of her right lip. "You little witch. I knew people like you would play dirty."

Ariana replied her remark with an evil laugh. "Well, I am a Rocket. That's how we roll." The redhead spun her whip and lashed it on the floor. White flinched to see a slight crack on the ground below the executive. It even echoed a loud bang. The brunette examined Ariana's weapon. It was clad in leather black but too thick to be an ordinary whiplash. Sounds of rattling were coming off from the long object. Even with all the bangs and booms coming from their Pokémon, White could clearly hear…chains?

Ariana chuckled amusingly. She raised her whiplash and lassoed it up in the air like a cowgirl. "Like it? I had this darling when I was a child. My mother gave it to me." She whipped the ground again, creating another shatter. "It's chains wrapped in leather. Stylish and deadly; just like me."

The ponytailed trainer replied her snotty self-compliment with a disgusted scoff.

Offended by the rude response White gave, Ariana acidly threatened, "Now die!" She raised her whip and lassoed it towards the brunette.

White's eyes widened at the upcoming attack. The woman quickly took a chair next to her and shielded herself. The thick whip gripped the chair's leg, bringing it towards its holder. Ariana cursed under her breath and threw the wooden stool away. But before she could look forward, something hit her chest. The sudden assault caused Ariana to rocket backwards and crashed into a pile of desks. She gasped deeply as the chair that had slammed her fell on her feet. Once again, the felt of heavy wood made her scream out in pain. She could taste blood as it trickled down her red lips. Ariana shot a resentful glare at White, who gave nothing but a jeering sneer.

"You little bitch!" Screaming madly, Ariana pushed the chairs and desks away and zoomed towards White, the whip raised up in the air. She aimed it at White with brute force.

This time, White was still able to avoid, but unlike before, the whip was able to slap her leg, tearing off a piece of her skin. "_Shit!_" White cursed furiously at the stinging pain she felt. The attack made her lose her balance, resulting with her falling to the side. Panting in fatigue, White looked at her right leg. The tear was not too deep, thank Arceus, but it was a slightly long line; almost as long as the size of her foot. It still stung, and blood began to drip down to her thigh, painting a bright red. She heard a loud cackle, and White didn't need to look up to see who it was.

"Weaklings like you should die!" Ariana raised her whip again, ready to slice the woman's head this time.

But just when she least expected it, White immediately crouched on all fours and dashed for her legs. The feisty brunette wrapped the executive's legs with her arms and zoomed forward, tackling her to the ground. Taken aback, Ariana crashed to the floor with a thud, her hand accidentally releasing her weapon. Before she could turn her head, the redhead could feel White landing a good punch on her cheek, making her gasp hollowly. "Why you little…!" A swell popped on her bruised cheek, colouring it a bright purple. Angry, she held both of White's wrists and tugged the young woman off her. White slammed on the floor above Ariana, but the brunette quickly regained her stance and pounced on the Rocket again before she could reach for her whip.

Soon enough, the two women were fighting and struggling.

'White!' Lillil shouted in fear for her trainer. But just as she faced White, she felt her body being coiled tightly. Lillil gasped heavily as she felt her lungs being horrifyingly constricted. The flowering Pokémon opened her eyes, only to see a snickering Arbok.

'I should worry about me iffff I were you, child,' Arbok hissed darkly, body crouching down to meet her gaze. Lillil growled sourly, frantically shaking in order to break free. 'Let me go, you old hag!'

Arbok blinked in dumbstruck. She arched back, tongue madly hissing, 'Old hag?! How dare you!' The cobra Pokémon gnawed opened her jaw and plummeted towards her prey.

The Lilligant, without a thought, quickly formed thorns on her green body. It stabbed and pierced into Arbok's purple scales, causing her to scream in pain and automatically releasing her. Taking the opening, Lillil used Petal Dance and twirled herself away from Arbok. Her head began to spin, dizzying her thanks to the move. Lillil stood a few steps away, but her feet couldn't hold still and her vision had gotten blurry.

The cobra stared at the small, red holes that dotted her body. She grimaced to see and feel such brutal pain. Arbok glared at Lillil, who was swaying slowly. Though confused, her enemy showed nothing but anger and a low growl, obviously trying her best to focus. 'How dare you hurt me! I havvve never met sssuch an incompetent fool that is _ssstupid_ enough to _hurt me!_' With that, Arbok released an ear-pitching Screech.

As if the confusion wasn't bad enough, Lillil grimaced at the excruciating sound. She cupped her ears and kneeled on the floor. 'D-damn…it…' A low curse escaped her mouth, though it was barely reachable to her own ears. Lillil closed her eyes, trying her best to snap out of confusion and focus. But it was to no avail, as the sound got louder and more intense. Her clenched teeth got tighter and her eyes stayed shut.

In her closed lids, she saw herself, the tiny little Petilil she once was. She saw herself being ignored by her own kind due to her rude behaviour. She saw herself being caught and cared by a nice trainer, who in the end couldn't handle her hasty personality. She saw herself being traded off to a feisty-looking brunette, White. She saw herself having new friends that loved her even though she had a stubborn and unladylike mind.

She saw the smiling Pokémon that loved her truly with all his heart; the male that never doubted her for a second.

Her heart stopped. Her eyes opened. Her mind back in the game.

'Now die!' Arbok plummeted towards the stunned Lilligant. She opened her mouth widely, intending on crunching and swallowing her enemy whole.

Lillil looked up, seeing Arbok's jaw coming right towards her. Her frown tightened. A scowl was shown. 'Nobody…' she hissed acidly, voice echoing like a faint threat, '_MOCKS ME!_' Her body glowed, and a seed popped out from her head. The sharp fangs were closing in quick, ready to blackened Lillil's life for good.

But just a single span away before total darkness could reach her, Lillil shot the seed into Arbok's mouth.

And taken by total surprise, Arbok accidentally swallowed it, stopping her from her tracks.

The seed – a Leech Seed – quickly worked its way in Arbok's body. Vines grew out from the tiny grain, wrapping and curling inside the cobra's internal organs. It sapped Arbok's powers, draining her like a Butterfree sucking a flower's nectar. The vines didn't stop growing. Instead, it maximized and elongated until it finally reached through her mouth. Arbok choked and gasped and wheezed heavily. She tried to spat the seed out, but it had grown into a tiny plant, murderously growing its way inside her fragile body.

Taking the opportunity, Lillil's body began to shine brighter. She sucked in all her strength and summoned Leaf Storm. In seconds, bigger and thicker vines sprouted from her body. Horrifyingly sharp thorns formed on the creeper. Using her mind, Lillil moved her vines and wrapped the suffocating Arbok. The enemy was lifted off the ground. Her eyes rolled until it reached its back, breathing getting heavier and harsher by the minute.

'I may be a reckless Lilligant,' Lillil growled deeply, 'but I know there are people and Pokémon who loved me for just the way I am. So I am not letting some measly nimrod getting into my mind and judging me blindly!' She raised her leafy arms, bringing the vines higher. A greener and thicker creeper whipped from her body and up towards Arbok. The vine held one thorn, so sharp and terrifyingly pointy. The single thorn was positioned on the cobra Pokémon's head, its tip touching her skin.

'So do me a favour,' Lilli's voice was marked with such savageness, it could scare off a baby Pokémon, 'and _die!_'

With a single wave of her arms, the thorn pierced into Arbok's head; ending her life.

She dropped the lifeless burden, her vines quickly implanted back in her body. Lillil took one deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her dizziness had subsided, but her grim memories served her well. Fisting her head lightly, Lillil shook her head and huffed sourly. 'There's no need to remember back. It's all in the past now…'

"Get off me, you damn witch!"

White's voice snapped Lillil back to reality. She turned around, only to see her trainer and Ariana struggling on the floor. 'White!'

Ariana spat a curse as she lay sprawled on the floor. "You…little…_bitch!_" Tugging White's wrists with her left hand, she fisted her chest with her right. White choked pitifully, giving an opening for Ariana to wrap her legs around the brunette's waist and threw White above the executive's head. White landed with a thud on her head, resulting with another groan from her mouth. She kneeled frailly, hand wiping her now bloodied forehead. The sticky ooze dripped through her shaking fingers. Her chest felt heavy, with a slight bump shown.

"Die!" White heard Ariana's voice, making her turn. But before she could react, her wrists were yet again wrapped tightly; this time by the Rocket's chained whiplash. White gasped out loud, wincing at the extremely tight grip on her thin flesh. Her aqua eyes were round in shock as she gawked at the black weapon.

As for Ariana, she flashed a maniacal smile. "Now die, you wrench!" She roughly tugged White closer, causing the younger woman to be pulled off the ground and up in the air. Her red eyes were widening each minute, filled with bloodlust and revenge. Using her free hand, Ariana took a small dagger from her white boot and pointed it towards the straining victim.

'White no!' Lillil quickly got to her feet and dashed for her beloved trainer.

At the same time, White flinched to see a sharp tip steadily positioned in front of her face, ready to stab right between her eyes when she fell towards it. "I. Am. _Not._ Gonna. _DIE!_" Mustering up all her strength, White bent her legs and did an upside-down spin. As a result, Ariana was tugged forward and her arms were raised up until she stopped right below White's feet. The redhead looked up, heart missing a beat to see the brunette's feet plummeting above her.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye.

Spinning to the right, White landed a hard, firm kick on the side of the executive's head. Her heel kissed the woman's jaw like a boulder slamming to a hard wall. A loud crack was heard. Red blood liquid oozed from Ariana's opened mouth. White quickly elevated her left leg and crashed it right on the Rocket's head. Ariana slammed on the tiles with a louder thump. A painful, agonizing gasp was released from her mouth as White slammed her elbow on her chest, straight to her beating heart. More pool of blood sprouted from her mouth and nose, thus knocking her out flat.

Her arms fell limp to her sides. Her grip on the lash was released, letting White free from her own chained trap. White nimbly jumped to her feet and off the older woman. She cringed to feel and see bright red marks on both her wrists. The taste of blood lingered in her mouth as it trickled from the side of her torn eyebrow. The brunette gently rubbed her wrist, aqua eyes intently staring at her fainted enemy.

'White, are you okay?'

White looked to her side. Lillil eyed her in concern, though she herself was also covered in splotches of red. The flowering Pokémon held her satchel that was filled with the other Pokéballs that were still sealed tight. Her trainer flashed a small smile and petted Lilligant. "I'm fine, baby." She took her satchel, and winced in pain at her swollen chest. Eyes on the metal door, she pointed towards it and commanded, "Destroy it."

Without a second to spare, Lillil summoned one of her vines and easily banged the door until it crashed open and slammed on a wall. Hand holding her bruised wound, White ushered Lillil to move forward.

The destruction Team Rocket had done. The damage Team Rocket had bestowed. The loss, the pain, the tormenting pleasure of ruining one's lives out of joy.

All of it gave White a very good reason not to let them live.

As they ran, White's mind could only think of one thing: _I am going to murder Team Rocket._

-

Archer watched from the multiples screens before him. His eyes narrowed slightly in a form of a grimace. His lips were pursed in a straight line, the edge twitched upright in disgust.

Two of his comrades had fallen.

Honestly, he was surprised that the Unovan trainers were able to wipe Petrel and Ariana. Besides him, those two were one of the toughest in Team Rocket. Before Kotone came and crushed their reputations, they could kill their prey in mere seconds. They were feared with their mighty strength and power. And Archer was the most notorious Rocket as he was Giovanni's powerful second-in-command.

But now, he stood there, teeth clenching at the sight of pure defeat.

And now, only one was left; still fighting the true heir of Team Rocket.

Deep in his black, cruel heart, Archer fearfully knew it will only be a matter of time before the youngest executive will fall in the redhead's grasp.

"Tch," he scoffed sourly. Archer looked at Mewtwo's device, then back to the screens. An image of Silver was shown, adding flames to his bottled up vengeance. His Houndoom sat loyally by his side, patiently waiting for an order.

"Come Houndoom," he said once, heels spinning around. The dark Pokémon nodded once and walked behind him, not even howling a peep. The device was kept neatly at the back of the bluenette's pants.

As a replacement, he took out his gun and headed for the front of the office doors.

Waiting for his prey.


	20. 19

Silver stood in place as the battle raged on. Dust and rubble covered the room, almost turning the place into a wrecked desert. A loud, piercing sound snapped his attention, making him look up. A Zubat plunged towards Silver, its tiny but sharp fangs ready to bite him.

Silver brought his index and middle finger to his mouth and whistled loudly. Like lightning, Crobat zoomed faster and tugged his trainer upwards. Once airborne, Silver swiftly kicked the wild Pokémon on the head that it crashed to the ground. His bat Pokémon acted as wings for him, letting his silver eyes scan the area for a certain green-haired bastard.

Finally, he spotted him.

Even in the harshest and savage of battles raging on, Proton was seen crossing his arms against his chest and grinning lazily.

And that enraged Silver like a mad Primeape.

"To him now!" Silver sharply ordered Crobat. Taking no time to ponder, Crobat barked and zoomed towards the Rocket. He released Silver, making the man fall and rocketed for his enemy.

Proton looked up, his lazy grin never gone from his face. He leaned on the wall, eyes blinking casually. As his attacker fell with fist ready to sock his face, it fumed Silver to see a glint of joy in the greenette's eyes; not even moving an inch.

And to his chagrin, before Silver could even touch him, Proton's Golbat tackled the redhead right in the stomach, causing him to be thrown back.

'Silver!' Fear washing over the starter, he bent his strong legs and jumped up. In the nick of time, Feraligatr caught Silver and boomed to the ground. The loud echo tampered with Zubats' sensitive hearing abilities, causing them to falter and fall. Silver grumbled in the water starter's arms before flailing back to his feet. "Let me go!" Huffing quietly, Feraligatr reluctantly placed his trainer down. Still, Silver's head was spinning from the impact, making him grip on the water-type's claws.

A loud, taunting laugh filled his eardrums. Silver looked forward, lips pulled into a fierce snarl. Proton shook his head slowly as if in a form of disappointment. "Oh Silver, always so impatient and brash." He stopped a few steps before the younger man. Feraligatr growled heavily behind Silver. Sneasel hopped to the big jaw's head, eyes closely focusing on the executive.

His silver eyes glinted a flash of hatred and demise. Kotone's satchel clung to his body, feeling the heavy weight slowing him down. His heart pounded his ribcage, intensifying each second inside the intense atmosphere. Body moving frantically, the man slid off the brown bag and threw it Feraligatr. "You little motherfucking prick! Gengar! Shadow Ball!"

The gas Pokémon appeared from below, his red eyes gleaming in furious anticipation. His hands cupping together, the Pokémon spun around and threw a dark energy ball towards Proton. The vicious, hollow sphere flew across the room, ready to pulverize the Rocket's face into disfigured nothingness.

However, Silver didn't saw fear in his eyes. On the contrary, all he could see was the lazy, relaxed smirk like everything was under control.

And to his blinded fury, he was right.

In a blink of an eye, Golbat lifted his trainer off the ground – seconds before the Shadow Ball slammed the wall. Proton cackled evilly, arms crossing against his chest. "Get over it, kid. You'll _never_ beat me!"

The redhead stared up, teeth gritted and ground madly. "Sneasel-"

"Air Cutter!" Proton's voice beat him to it. Before Silver could turn, ten Zubats appeared before him and his Pokémon. Without a heartbeat to happen, the wild bat Pokémon launched their attacks, releasing razor-like wind to their foes. The redheaded trainer froze in aghast, stricken with shock at the upcoming, invisible knives.

'Silver!' Feraligatr barked in panic. No time to waste, he tugged the small human's waist and threw him upwards. Silver was flung up in the air, free from the assault. But his Pokémon weren't so lucky. The water starter, Sneasel, and Gengar were hit violently by the swift attacks, slicing and tearing their skins and finally, throwing them backwards until they crashed into the walls.

Crobat was able to catch his trainer, teeth tightly gripping the back of his jacket. But his eyes then widened in manic fear at the damage of his teammates. 'Guys!'

Magneton and Alakazam gawked incredulously. The bodies were marked in blood red lines. Their eyes twitched slowly, unable to open or even manage a blink. The sharp claw Pokémon whimpered as he sprawled on Gengar's body. Feraligatr, limply hugging Kotone's satchel, slumped on the crooked wall. 'No…' Alakazam shook his disbelief. Magneton trembled in disdain. Furious, the magnet Pokémon turned around and glared at his enemies. His body began to sparked wildly, releasing bright jolts. 'How dare you!' He released Discharge, electrocuting the wild Zubats into black crisps.

But just as ten fell, twenty more risen.

Proton cackled joyfully at his victorious advantage. "Confuse Ray!"

The Zubats bellowed hastily. Blight yellow rays escaped their mouths, quickly slamming Magneton. His head began to spin. His mind began to feel woozy. He squinted his eyes, trying his very best to focus and attack. But unfortunately, the images in front of him blurred out, and the screeches of the bat Pokémon only increased his headache.

"Golbat, Shadow Ball."

Golbat quickly released his trainer, letting Proton land perfectly on his feet. The bat Pokémon gave one flap of his wings, and released a shadowy blob on the defenceless Magneton. At the same time, the Zubats used Sunny Day, further weakening the steel/electric-type's defence.

The attack was proven too much for the frail magnet Pokémon. The Shadow Ball slammed him right in the middle of his body, causing him to crash to the ground. Slowly, his eyes began closing, tiny harmless sparks executing his bruised body.

'Magneton!' Alakazam and Crobat feared for their fainted comrade. Alakazam tried to move towards Magneton, wanting to help him. But he was quickly caught off guard. Taking his distraction as an opening, Golbat reached for the psi Pokémon's shoulder and used Bite. Alakazam screeched in agonizing pain, feeling the sharp fangs of his enemy slowly piercing into his skin. Golbat released his grip, and the psychic-type knelt to the ground. Blood oozed out of his punctured shoulder. He panted heavily, feeling already weak from the previous attacks.

Up above, a groan was heard. Silver held his head, dizzy from the impact of the throw. Right eye slowly opening, his vision was slowly returning back to him.

His left eye then opened, letting him able to see the horror of the battle.

'Die you scum!' Golbat cackled evilly. Leaving no time for Alakazam to heal or Silver to command, the bat Pokémon released another Shadow Ball to his chest. The black orb deemed too much for Alakazam, for a loud shriek escaped his lungs and mouth. The blow pushed him to the back, body crashing into one of the walls.

Silver saw the destruction of his team, eyes and mouth wide opened.

"No…" he muttered frightfully. A loud, maniacal cackle screeched in his ears. Silver turned, eyes seeing Proton guffawing in glee at his success. "You..._PRICK!_" His fingers nimbly went to the buttons of his attire, unbuttoning them in ease. He shook his body vigorously, taking off his jacket. With that out of the way, the man fell, feet landing perfectly on the ground. His legs were bent slightly, decreasing the pressure of the fall. The Rocket's laughter brought a new wave of anger in him, quickly fuming his need to slit that man's neck.

"Oh Silver," Proton laughed as he walked a few steps forward. "That's always you. Always hurting people and Pokémon; even by accident."

Silver eyes snapped open and gawked at the male. "What did you say…?" He heard him clearly. But his mind could not accept such words slurred out by the green-haired adult.

Arms crossing against his chest, Proton sneered. "You're always a burden. A barricade. Ever since you were born, you cause nothing but pain and suffer to the people around you." Golbat perched on his shoulder. The group of Zubats flew by his back, ready to receive further orders.

Silver slowly stood up straight. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face. His hair was a horrible mess. His silver eyes – ever so wide – gawked a disbelieving sight at the man before him. "You fucking-"

"I mean come on, the heir of Team Rocket? The new hope for Team Rocket's success? Haa!" Proton spat disgustingly, as if sickened by such an idea. "Honestly, the people that actually thought of that were fools! If I were them, I'd say you're just a waste of time. Oh wait, I'm sorry," He drew out a fake chuckle. The more Silver continued to hear him, the more his heartbeat raced in murderous intuition.

He had had enough when Proton looked him in the eyes and slyly taunted, "You're a mistake."

"FUCK YOU!" Silver dashed to the man, right fist raised for the jab. But this time, the Zubats nor his Golbat intervened. Instead, Proton stood there properly without an ounce of fear in his face.

Just as Silver thought he would punch him this time, the Rocket easily evaded the attack. His arms stretched to the side of Proton's head. And before the redhead could retract, Proton took hold of his wrist and bent it behind the back of the shorter man's head.

"Ack…!" Silver gasped in pain of his twisted arm. His free hand tried to move, but Golbat quickly bit it, making him release another painful gasp. The sharp fangs dug to the skin of his bare arm, ripping and digging into his flesh. Right hand tightly locking on his wrist and left hand casually snugged inside his pocket, Proton leaned an inch closer to his face. "Ever since you were born, all you give is bad luck. Not only did you make Giovanni lose his focus until he lost to a mere child, but you also caused the impossible; _killing his wife._"

His silver eyes blinked open, mouth hanging from the words exited from his mouth. With a smirk, Proton threw Silver to his side. The man fell on his shoulder, roughly sliding on the hard floor that it tore the sleeves of his shirt. 'Silver!' Crobat screamed in panic. He flew to his trainer's side, but was quickly blocked by Golbat.

'Your fight is me,' The Rocket's Pokémon hissed acidly before plunging his attack towards his enemy.

Proton laughed. Silver shivered. His hands trembled violently. His breathing got ragged by the second.

"Seriously," Proton shook his head slowly, hands hidden in his pockets, "how horribly unlucky you are that you not only bring bad luck to yourself, but also to the people that _actually_ had a decent heart to care for you?" He bellowed again, voice booming inside the wrecked room.

"S-stop…" Silver hissed between his gritted teeth. His memory danced in his mind, connecting to the words Proton had said. The man caught sight of a shredded glass in front of him. With trembling hands, he reached out for the tattered piece, all awhile mouth faltering, "S-stop…it…"

But he didn't listen. Neither did he care. "You're a fool, Silver. To actually think that there's people who actually like you. News flash. THEY HATE YOU. Coz what will happen in the end when they actually let you in in their lives? YOU KILL THEM!"

"STOP II_I__**IIT**_!" Like a robot, Silver quickly stood up. With a sharp shard in his hands, he reached for the Rocket.

But unlike before, his mind was completely in a daze and distracted. His eyes glistened and drown in tears. His thoughts were blinded as each memory served him. Pain shot through his eyes. Suffer echoed at the sound of his voice. The nightmares of before slammed him at once, losing his concentration of the battle.

And just like that, Proton easily stepped aside and let Silver fell forward.

Before his face could kiss the ground, Proton gripped his wrist yet again and twisted it behind his back. Silver hollered in pain. A quiet crack was heard.

And then, a loud slam was heard.

Proton kneed him perfectly on his stomach. "Let's play a game, Silver." He cackled as blood was coughed out of the redhead's mouth. "I like to call it, 'Who killed Emery that night?'"

The pain on his stomach. The pain in his heart. All of them attacked at once, crushing his body and soul. The name of his mother echoed inside his ears, making his mind blank as a piece of white paper. His body was lifted and thrown against the wall. Silver gasped out another agonizing yelp, feeling his body getting weaker each time he breathed. His head fell forward, mouth panting and gasping for air. His arms felt limp by his sides, bloodied hands staining the cracked tiles.

_N-no… N-n-n- Pl-please…_ He tried to breathe. He tried to move. But his body wasn't responding. His mind wasn't cooperating. Tears streamed down his cheeks, dripping down to his shredded pants. _I… N-nno…_

Proton burst another fit as he walked forward. "I'll just save you the rules and regulations. Heck, I'll save you the whole competition and tell you the winner." He stopped in front of the redhead. The man bent down and clutched Silver's neck, easily lifting him up. The redhead choked as he was brought up like hanged meat. His throat was clogged by the tight lock, disabling him from inhaling or exhaling properly. Silver tried to hold, tried slap Proton's hands away. But not even a single fidget or a flex happened for his fingers and arms had gone completely stiff.

But to his disdain, his ears could hear him perfectly as Proton snickered, "The murderer is _you._"

_Crack._

Silver wished it was the sound of his bones cracking. But instead, it was the sound of his shattered heart. "S-s-st…" His voice broke from the harsh grip of the man. His teeth clenched tightly, feeling the strain of his jaw. His heart raced faster than before. His pulse accelerated in his veins. Silver wanted to open his eyes, for all he could see was that dreadful day.

The day he lost everything.

Proton laughed and laughed, sounding almost like a sadistic maniac. "You fucking killed your own mother! Not Mewtwo!" He slammed Silver against the wall, letting him release another hollow gasp. "Not Giovanni!" Proton raised him higher. Blue began to tint Silver's cheeks. His eyes were about to roll at the back of his head. He was helpless. He felt weak. His mind was empty. His chest felt heavy. "But _you!_" With a smirk, Proton threw the man to the side.

Silver crashed to the floor yet again. This time, no voice came out from him. He landed on his front, arms folded and positioned on top of his head. A tiny, frail whimper wheezed through his torn lip. _M-move…_ A small bit at the back of his mind spoke to him, pushing him to do the seemingly impossible. _Mo…ve…dammit… G-get up…and fight-_

Click.

A sound of a trigger echoed in his ears. The redhead didn't open his eyes. Neither did he even realize that Proton had stood next to him. Suddenly, he finally screamed in pain. The Rocket executive harshly stomped his foot on Silver's back. Each laugh escaped his lungs at each rough step. "You are a fucking murderer! You are just like Team Rocket! No wait, you're _worse_ than Team Rocket!"

_Stomp!_

Proton laughed.

_Stomp!_

And laughed.

_Crack!_

Silver's bones were taken too much for the toll. Every word he said had affected him mentally and emotionally, making him at lost for strength and will. Another painful, horrifying shriek burst from his mouth. Tears trickled down his face, mixed with blood that dripped from the edge of his lips. _M-move…_

Finally, Proton stopped, yet foot still implanted on his back. The gun in his hand was held tightly, finger holding the trigger. A wide, wrathful smile painted his face. The Rocket bent down to the back of Silver's head. "You are such a loser." He commented in a lighter tone.

_Move…_ Silver's mind kept taunting him, though body received no reaction.

"I don't even know why Team Rocket seeks an interest in you." Proton placed the muzzle of the gun back on the younger man's head. His thumb lightly pressed the hammer, fingers ready to press the trigger.

_Pl…ease… Move-_ His body made no sudden movement. None at all.

Then, another idea came to him. "You know," Proton went to his left ear, grin still curving on his lips. "There is one good thing about this though. Once you're out of the picture," He bent closer and closer, making sure Silver heard him perfectly, "Kotone will be mine. _All. Mine._"

Everything froze for a short second.

Silver's mind had stopped functioning, then rewinding as if gears were whirling backwards; faster, speedier, swifter, more rapid.

_SNAP!_

Those chains that held the gears in his brain snapped loose.

_CRACK!_

Those wild gears made his brain cracked into two.

Silver opened his eyes. His pupils shrunk immediately, silver irises gleamed maliciously. Those last few words whirred into his ears, marking into his brain.

Slapping him back to reality.

Suddenly, before Proton knew it, he saw Silver reaching for his hands.

And throwing him forward.

"Agh!" The general grimaced in pain as his face kissed the tiled floor. The man propped himself up and caressed his cheek. Red liquid oozed through his fingers, making him cringe and hiss through gritted teeth. Proton looked behind him. Silver was already back on his feet. His eyes were unseen, shielded by his red locks. Only his lips were shown; straight and emotionless.

"What the…" Proton was flabbergasted. Silver was motionless and frail a few seconds back. Then all of a sudden, the kid had the energy to even throw him off guard. With a loud curse, the green-haired man ordered, "Golbat! Bite!"

In a state of shock as well, Golbat quickly shook it off and plunged for the redheaded enemy.

But like a ninja and definitely unlike the defenceless man he once was before, Silver quickly turned around and landed a good fist between the bat Pokémon's eyes. Golbat screeched in pain, feeling the swell on his face. Taking no time to heal, Silver took hold of his left wing and snapped it in half. Another shriek was heard, and the man crashed the poor bat Pokémon down to the ground.

Proton's eyes were wide and saucers. His Pokémon was beaten by a mere human. "You fuck!"

His voice was a trigger to Silver's mind. The redhead returned his glance. The bangs of his hair were brought backwards, finally revealing his full face.

Proton swore his whole skin prickled in utter fear for the first time.

The redhead's eyes were wide and round, almost bulging out of his sockets. His breathing got harder and harsher. His lips were pulled back in a teeth-bearing snarl. "You…" The man spoke, voice croaked and inhuman; almost like a real Pokémon's growl. "You dare touch her…" Silver walked slowly, eyes never leaving from his face. "You dare lay a single finger on _MY KOTONE!_"

Proton began to panic. He held the gun forward, the contraption shaking in his grasp. "Stay back you freak!"

But Silver didn't listen. His might and rage had blinded his sight, hearing, and rationality. He kept walking, and walking. His legs moved slower, and slower. "You fucking piece of FUCK! _I WILL KILL YOU!_"

"I said _stay back!_" Out of reflex, the Rocket shot two bullets.

But to his dumbstricken fear, he gaped to see Silver easily dodging it. The man moved left, then right, not even letting the bullets kiss his skin. "Nobody. Touches. _MY._ Kotone! _**NOBODY!**_" He stopped, fists clenching so hard his nails dug into the palms of his torn hands. "Whoever touches my girl, _**DIES IN MY BLOODY HANDS!**_"

At the stern, sharp shriek of his voice, like magic, all of Silver's Pokémon snapped their eyes opened.

Feraligatr quickly hopped back to his feet and plunged forward, wide open jaw gnawing on the unexpected Zubats. He chomped and chewed, his sharp fangs piercing into the frail blue flesh. The big jaw Pokémon jumped and stomped the ground hard, making the Zubats cringe horribly and fell. He let out a savage, monstrous roar, voice even shaking the very walls of the room. Sneasel woke up from his fainted slumber and zoomed towards the wild pack. He breathed Blizzard, completely freezing the bat Pokémon into nothingness. Gengar, now fully awake, faded into the ground below, his eyes glowing red as ever and mouth formed into an eerie grin. Before the Zubats could even touch Sneasel, the gas Pokémon suddenly appeared from below. His body had changed into a dark, demonic shadow, engulfing the wild Pokémon into a whole, sucking out their souls in a blink of an eye.

Magneton's body released a thousand jolts; much stronger than before. The magnet Pokémon raised up in the air and used Thunder, not giving a chance for the Zubats to counterattack. The jolts stabbed them until it reached into their organs, forcing their lungs to actually gurgle out from their tiny mouths.

Alakazam opened his eyes, pupils shrunk into tiny dots. His body began to gleam maliciously, his body lifting in the air. The psi Pokémon's eyes began to shine a bright, dark blue. The sounds of Zubat's shriek caught his attention, making him turn his head slowly to face his enemies. Alakazam calmly stretched his right arm, palm wide open in front of the barging Zubats.

Alakazam then clenched his hand.

The Zubats screeched in agony, their heads squashed by an unknown force.

The psi Pokémon had used his Psychic, easily squashing the Zubats' brains with the ease of his palms.

Proton watched as what was supposed to be his unstoppable team fell into utter and fast defeat. "No…" He shook his head, sweat trickling from the side of his face. One by one the Zubats plopped to the ground, mostly dead, soulless, and disfigured. Proton stumbled back to his feet, trying stand properly through all the sudden change in havoc. He looked left and right. His eyes then stopped at Silver.

His heart stopped for a brief moment.

Because at that particular moment, he didn't see the little redhead he almost killed.

No. What he saw was his strong, fearful, unstoppable boss, Giovanni.

"I…" The green-haired man stammered, unable to produce human words at the fear he was seeing. Silver looked powerful. Silver looked in control. Even his Pokémon had changed from normal creatures to savage, barbarous monsters just by the change in his trainer's attitude. Though the true heir of Team Rocket himself looked calmer than his Pokémon.

But his silver eyes revealed the traits that resembled his former boss so much; blood, power, and most of all, _no mercy._

His skin had just gotten chillier and it wasn't even cold. "I…N-nn…"

Silver whistled loudly for his Crobat. The bat Pokémon, lying weakly after being defeated, opened his eyes like a robot. His pupils formed a thin, predatory line. His four purple wings were spread widely. With one sharp inhalation of breath, he quickly flew to his trainer and nipped the back of Silver's black shirt; acting as wings for the man.

Proton was flabbergasted and bewildered with the sudden change in Silver. His legs flailed, trying to get back on his feet. His shaking hands tried to hold his gun properly. Or at least he himself was trying to lose the horrid image he was seeing from the younger one.

But to his dismay, Silver taken had already taken a tight grip on the collar of his shirt.

Crobat swiftly flew up, bringing the two men along and the gun falling from the greenette's grasp. Proton choked and struggled while Silver snarled madly. "You," He hissed through gritted teeth. "This is for calling me a mistake!" Left fist raised, he jabbed Proton right in the jaw. "And this," Left replaced with right, "is for calling me a murderer!" He punched the general's nose until a crack echoed in his earshot.

Proton choked and wheezed with blood clogging his nasal area. His lower jaw was dislocated. His nose was now crooked to the right. Blood dripped and drooped that it matched the colour of his enemy's crimson hair.

But Silver wasn't done. "And this is for laying a single finger on me and my Pokémon!" He kneed the man square on his crotch. Green eyes widened as if sockets were about to pop out. Torn mouth formed a huge 'O'. Yet not a single squeak was heard from him. Only true pain could be seen in his tearful eyes.

The redhead clutched the collar tighter, showing no signs of letting go. Crobat had reached the ceiling, staying airborne for him and his trainer. "And this!" Silver screamed to his face, eyes wide like saucers. He was fuelled with raw rage. He was drunk with ferocious, murderous intention. "Is for even _speak_ my mama's name with your _rancid_ mouth!" The man brought the weak executive higher, resulting with his head being slammed roughly on the cracked ceiling. If it wasn't for the fact that he was receiving multiple, nonstop hits, he would be shrieking in pain by now. More blood oozed from his skull, trickling to the side of his face. His eyes were barely holding on for a blink. His image was getting blurry. All he could see was red, white, and two very, very shiny silvers.

Like how a child sees a monster that lurks in his or her nightmares.

"And this…" Silver brought the semi-conscious man closer to his face. Their noses almost brushing, he huffed acidly that it actually hurt Proton's skin. Unlike before, Silver let out a small, ruthless whisper. "This is for thinking you can actually have my precious girlfriend."

And finally, Silver threw Proton 30 feet on the ground.

The Rocket crashed the tiles with a loud slam. More dust and rubble flew about, finally silencing the whole chaos.

Silver stayed still in the air. Crobat continued flapping his wings, waiting for further orders. His Pokémon – after done destroying all the Zubats – slowly walked towards their trainer. Blood painted their torn skin. Heavy pants of weariness escaped their shredded lips. But all was over.

They had won.

Finally, he signalled Crobat to swoop down. The bat Pokémon gently slid down and placed Silver back to his stance. The man looked at his enemy. Proton was anything but okay. He had received the worst. His body was clad in liquid red and pink. His arm was dislocated and crushed under his back. Heck the bones of his wrist had ripped out of his skin, showing pieces of white, pink, and red. His eyes were shut, but breathing could still be heard – though faint and short.

He saw the gun on his side.

Without a word, Silver took it. He placed it in his palm. Suddenly, his whole body shivered again, feeling the icy coldness of the steel metal. The sound of a bang screeched his eardrums, making him see the orange flames that engulfed his whole life. The feel of the metal let his eyes revealed the memory of a shrieking woman, seconds before nothing was what became of her. Shaking and gulping heavily, Silver held the gun and pointed it at the dying general.

His thumb was on the hammer.

His finger was on the trigger.

His eyes sought its aim.

_"I love you."_

He then stopped. His pupils dilated. His mouth gasped. It was as if Silver had come back from a trance. He looked at the Rocket, then at the dangerous weapon. Sweat and blood trickled down the back of his hand, but pain was never felt. Instead, it was replaced with a sense of nostalgia and the aching desire of her.

His eyes narrowed. A tear trickled. "I'm not a monster. I'm not you."

With that being said, Silver strapped the gun on his belt and turned his heel. His team stood loyally by his side, waiting but horribly exhausted. A small, twitchy smile appeared on his face, relieved to see his Pokémon were okay and most of all, alive. Sneasel walked towards him, his jacket plopped on top of the sharp claw's head. The man took it and wore it carefully, but in the end flinching to feel the wounds getting slapped by the cotton attire. Feraligatr then gave him Kotone's satchel. This time, Silver didn't take it immediately. He pondered, or merely, confused like he was given a strange object.

To be able to hear her voice without her around. To be able to smell her scent just by the touch of her bag. To be able to feel like a deranged man by just slurring out her name by an evil criminal.

He took the bag and slowly slid it on his body. His head was down, lower lip bitten by teeth. The man hid his expression, though his Pokémon could read him clearly. "Come on." Silver finally said, voice croaked by the harsh, previous strangle. He moved one foot, but his lack of balance and dizziness made him trip. Gengar quickly aided to his trainer, carefully holding his torso. Silver held his chest, feeling the wounds of before tearing up in his skin. Teeth clenching into a painful grimace, the redhead shook it off, stood properly, and stubbornly ordered, "I have some family issues to settle."

* * *

They ran and ran.

Even with all the pain, all the blood and scars carving them, they ran like their lives depended on it.

At certain times, Silver cringed again and obtained help from his team.

Until finally, they reached the president's main office.

But just as he thought, it wasn't going to be easy.

Archer stood there a few feet away between the two huge doors and the redhead. An expression was never seen. His arms were crossed against his chest. His foot lightly tapped the soft red rug. Houndoom stood by his side, deeply snarling and growling in malice. Silver stopped in his tracks, mouth panting in fatigue and numbing ache. His Pokémon stood loyally behind him, eyes locked on their last enemy.

Finally, a smirk curved on the executive's face, "Well, well, well. If it isn't little old Silver."


	21. 20

White ran and ran. Her legs moved as fast as they could to each room and door. Dry blood carved her skin. And most of all, a ring of black bruises marked both her wrists. The woman winced every now and then, mouth silently cursing to have found nothing. Finally, she barged into another door.

And the first thing – or person – she saw was none other than N.

Their eyes were wide to see each other. N stood a few feet from her, hand also holding a doorknob of another door. The tall brunette blinked in stupor, briefly unknowing on what to say. She opened her mouth, though hanging without a word.

Finally, N broke the silence. "White!" He pounced the young woman with a tight hug. Her eyes wide, White grimaced out loud as her hands were pressed between their chests. The sudden shout took him by surprise, making N release his hug. His eyes widened in shock to see her face splotched in red, faint lines. "White, are you okay?" He took her hands, only to receive another wave of bafflement to see the marks on her wrists.

"I'm fine," she quickly replied before he panicked. White retracted her hands and brought it closer to her chest. A hiss escaped her gritted teeth, yet her eyes tried to hide the pained expression from N.

It didn't work. "White, you're badly hurt. We need to aid you quick." He then stopped as soon as eyes met Lillil. The flowering Pokémon was damaged herself, but she managed a smile to assure the green-haired man.

Once another thought resided in his mind, N looked at White. "White, are the other Pokémon okay?"

Before White could answer, "AAAAAaaaaa_AAAAAaaa__**aAAA**__A!_" A loud, ear-piercing shrill echoed through the walls. Both Unovan trainers jumped at the sudden shriek. White was most stunned, for she recognized that voice very well.

It was Kotone's.

"Come on! We gotta hurry!" Ignoring the swell in her wrists, White tugged N's arms and the two dashed through the halls. Lillil and Zoroark blinked in confusion before quickly regaining back to their senses and chased their human friends.

As they ran, White could not remove the nagging, negative feeling in her heart. With a sickened stomach at her thoughts, she quietly thought, _Please be safe…_

* * *

Silence consumed the surrounding. Both men not moving an inch, their eyes focused solely on one another. A breathe of air was inhaled; it was from Archer. The man crossed his arms against his chest, posing in a casual stance before the younger enemy. A small half-smile curved on his lips. "First off, congratulations on making this far. Though I'm not that surprised." A shrug bestowed as he spoke. Silver stood quietly, teeth harshly gritting inside his tight lips.

His jaw strained completely once Archer added, "We are dealing with the son of Team Rocket after all."

The roars of Silver's team echoed madly, responding bitterly to the man's words. Feraligatr stomped forward, but then flinched at the swell of his right leg. The water starter growled acidly as he stood beside his trainer. Silver, however didn't throw a hissy fit unlike his Pokémon. The redhead stood calmly, silver eyes focused on the blue-haired enemy. Finally, he breathed a low hiss and spat on the floor. With a sharp voice, he sternly ordered, "Move out of the way."

Archer's grin widened to see the eerie calmness from him. His stretched his arms and folded them behind his back. "Sorry to disappoint you, boy." His voice was casual and relaxed. Not even a hint of fear bounced through his lips. With blue eyes staring straight into Silver's, he continued, "But your little journey ends here."

Taking it as a command, Houndoom used Double Team. Multiple copies of himself appeared before Silver and his team. At first they were baffled at the sudden approach. But soon all eyes were wide in shock to realize that they were now surrounded. Houndoom and his clones crouched and snarled acidly, smokes of flames escaping their nostrils.

Silently gulping, Silver grimaced at the sight. His Pokémon crowded around him, protecting their beloved trainer. The man's eyes peeked at his Pokémon's condition. Even with their utmost dedication, all were extremely worn out. All were dead tired from the latest battle. The enemy's Pokémon was one. But unfortunately, due to their lack of strength and energy, that one could easily take them down in a blink.

He then focused on the laughing man standing a few feet away from him. Teeth grinding horribly, Silver moved one foot forward.

But just as he did, Houndoom exhaled Flamethrower.

"Arrgh!" A painful scream burst through his mouth as a scorch hit his shoe. Feraligatr quickly caught his falling trainer and spat a douse of water on the burnt foot. Silver winced and cursed at the red mark on his ankle. Silver opened one eye, vision blurry from the dizziness. The water starter carefully pushed him for balance, though he himself was getting lightheaded from the previous assaults. A low growl vibrated in his chest. The marks on his scales were still bright red, even feeling sore with the lightest touch.

Archer merely stood and enjoyed the show. "Give it up, Silver. You'll _never_ win!"

The Houndooms exhaled another Flamethrower, creating a fiery barricade around the seven creatures. They howled and barked in excitement, celebrating the clear victory that was theirs.

Alakazam, Sneasel, and Feraligat tried to remove the flames away. But the dark Pokémon's powers were proven much stronger. At the same time, the original Houndoom used Nasty Plot, merely increasing his special attack.

The heat was getting into them. Air was slowly cut off from their lungs, making breathing seem unbearable each minute. Silver gasped through his mouth. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, mixing with the dry blood that clotted his skin. The walls of flames were getting bigger, yet the man could still see the snicker in Archer's face. "I am not giving up…" he breathed heavily, voice ragged and drowned in the sounds of Pokémon growling. Silver leaned on Feraligatr's arm, body trying to push back for a proper stand.

The blue-haired Rocket eyed him suspiciously. The younger man's voice was muffled, but Archer could vaguely hear the word "giving up." With a chuckle, he taunted, "Giving up already, boy?"

His teeth were clenched tighter that his jaw could strain. "I said…I'm not giving up, you fuck…" Silver tried to scream, to shout in the man's face. He finally stood up straight, though body wobbling once in a while.

'Silver…' Feraligatr barked in concern. But even if the man did understand, he would completely ignore it. Claws slowly reaching for the petite human, the big jaw Pokémon called out again. 'Silver don't-'

He was stunned in silenced once Silver screamed, "I don't care if I'm jabbed, stabbed, burned, or even chewed and spat out like gum. I am _NOT_ leaving without my Kotone! I am not leaving her. Even when she's gone batshit crazy, I will do anything – everything – in my life and will to get her back. Even if it costs me _my life!_"

The area was quiet with tension. Even Archer showed a glint of shocked emotion. His eyes were wide and blinking, staring at the trembling Silver. The certain and sudden promise was unexpected, hushing him with bewilderment.

His Pokémon looked at Silver in such a sorrowful manner. Their hearts broke at his shocking promise. Their bodies froze, unable to react to such a statement coming from their trainer. Never had they seen or heard Silver say such words. He was always stubborn, yes. Even though they knew he loved her, for him to confess was inhumanly impossible. Now, standing in a brink of death, the redhead had plucked up all his courage to even say such a promising, startling confession.

A confession that was never heard from the pigtailed brunette herself.

Ears twitching backwards in grief, Feraligatr woefully murmured, 'Silver…'

Finally, Archer responded with a baffled, dumb laugh. He cackled as if the man had told a joke. Archer slapped his forehead, mouth forming a very wide and enjoyable smile. "Oh Silver, I never knew you could be so dedicated and romantic at all the wrong reasons."

Silver replied his remark with a wrathful growl. "You piece of-"

"But if that's what you want, I can't deny it, can I?" The general added, voice filled with joy. Without another word, Archer snapped his fingers.

Pupils shrinking into black dots and fangs flashing wildly, Houndoom and his carbon copies plunged forward.

Their heartbeats stopped for a moment. Silver shut his eyes. His Pokémon, all huddling around Silver, braced for the worst.

Suddenly, bright red lights flashed from Kotone's satchel.

And then,

"GYRAWGH!"

"RHYDOOOON!"

"CHAAAARRRGHHH!"

"AMPHAROOOO!"

And the most important of all, "TYRO_AAAAARRGGHHH!_" Red malicious flames spewed out of nowhere, even removing the fiery barricade that trapped them. A giant, fire-coated cannonball slammed to the ground. The floor shook violently, causing the Houndooms to falter and fall. Silver and his team wobbled horribly and immediately opened their eyes, not believing what they saw.

All of Kotone's Pokémon were out of their balls and crowded around them.

Typhlosion crouched on all fours, the flames on his back spread viciously on his back. His red, blazing eyes were wide and beast-like, glaring at the stunned enemies. 'You piece of nasty shit!'

Silver felt like his soul had left his body. His girlfriend's team stood proudly around him, their backs facing him as they faced the Rocket's Pokémon. "What the…"

'We can handle this.' Ampharos' voice took his attention, making him and his team turned their heads. Even though Silver didn't understand a word, the smile on the light Pokémon's face indicated that they were capable enough to demolish the enemy. Ampharos flashed a sweet smile as she stood beside Typhlosion. Her eyes looked at Feraligatr, who only gawked at her in dumbstricken bewilderment. 'Go. Get our Kotone back. We will stop anything that prevents Silver from seeing her.'

The big jaw Pokémon blinked, then reacted with a wide, joyful smile. 'Thank you so much, guys.' He looked at his dumbfounded trainer. Feraligatr lightly nudged his head on the man's back, pushing him forward. 'Go. We can handle this easily with them around.' He pushed harder, forcing Silver to move on.

But head clouded in dumfounded worry, Silver merely stared at his starter. He blinked and gawked, mind unable to process rationally. The man then looked around. Finally, fear was shown on the Rocket's face. Clones of Houndooms were still present, but he could vividly see the hesitant expression on each of them.

And finally, his silver eyes stopped on Typhlosion's.

The fire starter peeked from behind. Their eyes met, making both males flinched out of reflex. A small frown was seen from the Pokémon, but his red eyes held no hate like before. Silver gulped silently, thoughts suddenly remembering the last time they got close.

But all that was dissolved once a twitch of smile formed on the fire starter's mouth.

'Go.' Typhlosion barked, head nodding once.

Even though Silver didn't have the ability to understand like N's, he understood that perfectly.

With a wide smile, Silver removed Kotone's satchel from his body and gave it to Feraligatr. "Thanks. A lot."

A dry chuckle bounced off Typhlosion's mouth. 'Whatever, dude.' He then focused his attention back at the Houndooms. Typhlosion slowly stood on his hind legs. Eyes drilled into the gaze of his enemy's and paws casually cracking his knuckles, the volcano Pokémon arrogantly snarled, 'Now, I'm feeling a bit nasty. How about we tear some flesh, sweetheart?'

With a sly, murderous smirk and her tail releasing bright yellow sparks, Ampharos sweetly replied, 'I like that idea very much, honey.'

Kotone's Pokémon bellowed maniacally before plunging forward.

Gyarados released a gush of Hydro Pump, drowning and removing the clones of the enemy. Body shaking viciously, Rhydon fisted the ground, causing a huge tremor and the glass walls to shatter. A few of Houndoom's clones fell from the building before completely disappearing into thin air.

The air was thick with dust and rubble in minutes.

Silver shielded his face with his arms. Suddenly, he felt his body being tugged upwards. "What the!" He looked up, only to see Charizard pulling his jacket. The female blaze Pokémon zoomed forward, easily dodging the attacks from below. Once convinced that the battle was far from the human, Charizard gently dropped the man and cast a soft smile. 'Be careful.' She purred gently and flew back to the scene. Silver watched in stupor, mind still in disbelief at the miracle.

But it only took him a few minutes to regain back to reality.

With a white smile and a bashful huff, Silver clicked his heels and ran towards the president's room. "Thanks a lot you guys…"

Archer watched in horror at his quick defeat. His blue eyes then saw Silver as he dashed to the huge doors. "No!" The man shouted in demise. His hands quickly reached for the gun on his belt. "Nobody. _Nobody_ is going to get in my-"

"Tyroargghh!" Suddenly, his body was pulled backwards. The gun slipped out of his hands and the man crashed to the cracked tiles. A loud, agonizing gasp escaped his mouth. His mind was getting dizzy from the shrieks and shrills from the Pokémon. His back ached from the impact. Archer propped on his elbows, trying to stand on his feet and chased the redheaded man.

But once he snapped his eyes open, all he could see was a giant, very angry, fire-breathing Pokémon.

The Rocket could feel the blood freezing in his veins. Typhlosion stood on all fours on top of him, red burning eyes sharply focused on the petite human. The pupils in his red eyes shrunk madly, almost having the image of a murderous, mindless maniac. His teeth were snarled savagely; sharp, bloodied fangs glowing under the bright sunlight. The fiery mane was sprouted wildly, even making Archer sweat from the immense heat.

With a wide, maniacal grin, Typhlosion eerily howled, 'Guess what I'm having for lunch.'

With that being said, he opened his jaw and sunk his fangs into the man's shoulder.

* * *

Silver quickly barged into the room. He slammed the two doors open with his body, causing him to flinch and quickly regret his hasty decision. On the bright side, he was finally in.

Once entered, he saw no one.

Silver slowly walked around. The room was bigger than any other, but his eyes were able to scan the whole area. The man eased his shaking nerves, fingers trembling unwarily. The drapes were open, letting sunlight entering the empty room. "Kotone?" Finally, he called out. He finally called her name, heartbeat racing terrifyingly as he waited for a response. But sadly, only silence was his answer. All he saw were statues, a desk, a bookshelf, and a few other things he couldn't care less. Everything was there except a living soul other than him.

There was no one.

There was no Kotone.

A gulp slid down his aching throat. His breathing got uneven. His chest ached just by thinking the worst. "Kotone, I know you're in here. Come out!" His teeth clenched at each word. One foot forward, Silver braved himself to walk around the room.

Suddenly, the drapes slid close. Darkness quickly consumed the whole area. Silver froze in aghast, body stiffened in shock. Nothing, not even a ray of light was present in his vision. His skin prickled in horror. Out of reflex, the gun was quickly taken out from his belt. Both hands tightly gripped the weapon, the gun shaking in his sweaty palms.

He saw absolutely nothing.

Just like in his nightmares.

"Kotone!" he screamed louder, voice breaking into a shrill. "I know you're fucking in here! Stop playing around and come the FUCK OUT!" Silver shut his eyes as he shouted. His feet scooted backwards, looking for anything to lean on.

Finally and thankfully, light beamed in the room. The chandelier glowed brightly, completely lighting the whole office room. The sudden ray of light blinded Silver's vision, making him cringe in shock. "Dammit!"

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

His body became motionless to hear footsteps in the room. Silver quickly snapped his eyes open. His mouth hanged low, thoughts empty as he saw the figure standing a few feet away from him.

It was none other than Kotone.

Her body was cladded unlike the usual Rocket grunt outfit. Her black boots were replaced with knee-length, longer, white high-heeled boots. The black Rocket outfit was still attached to her body, but it was covered with a white, long-sleeved coat; a Rocket executive's coat. A bright red 'R' logo was imprinted on the left side of her attire. Her brown, pigtailed hair was free from any hat.

The second Silver laid eyes on her, he was slammed with a mix of emotions. Thankful. Anger. Need. Hatred. Blessed. Betrayed. Happy. Sad. Fearful. Crushed.

But the most powerful feeling of all: Love.

"Kotone…" His mouth murmured her name unintentionally. His silver eyes dimmed into a much sorrowful gleam. He felt his heart dropped to his stomach. He felt his chest ached like someone had shot him once again.

The woman that he solely missed and loved was standing right in from of him.

And all he could see was hatred and deceit.

The gun in his hands was clutched tighter. He held the weapon down, not even having the slightest thought of aiming it at her.

To make matters worse, all he could ever think about right now was pulling her in his embrace.

"Dammit…" A cracking sob was mixed with his snarls. Silver watched as Kotone stood proudly before him. Her posture was firm. Her head was tilted high. Neither a smile nor a single expression was flashed on her face.

Then Silver froze yet again to see her eyes.

It wasn't the light brown hazels that once brought joy and laughter.

No. Instead, it was glowing a bright, wickedly purple colour.

The woman moved her arms behind her back. Without a second breath, she took out two guns from the back of her pockets and aimed it perfectly at Silver.

With eyes shining brighter and darker by the minute, Kotone acidly snarled, "Die."


	22. 21

His body became ice to see the guns pointing towards him. Her eyes gleamed brighter, even turning into a pair of iris-less orbs. Her snarl grew wider. _No_, was all the man could ever think of. His feet were glued to the floor, unable to move a single inch. He should move. He should dodge. He should fight back and snap her out of it.

But all that disappeared from his mind.

Because all he could ever think of, all he could ever see now, was Kotone.

_Kotone…_

Without a word, she released her fire.

Luckily, the sound of a gunshot brought him back to reality.

Right in the nick of time, his body reacted immediately and dodged.

He jumped to the side, avoiding the incoming bullets. The ammos shot through the walls. Silver fell on the carpeted floor. A painful hiss slid through his mouth. His hand cupped his wounded stomach. A single eye opened, he could see the woman firmly walking towards him. The guns were pointed straight at him, her fingers ready to press the triggers.

His heart stopped a beat, still in a state of shock at the situation.

Once again, she shot.

Once more, he dodged.

He hopped back to his feet and dashed for shelter. Another gunshot was heard, making him cover his head out of reflex. Sliding on his knees, Silver hid behind a couch. The bullets pierced right through the thick fabric, but not enough to even touch the redhead.

As he leaned against the soft sofa, he gasped and panted a few times. His eyes were shut, body viciously trembling in despair. The weapon rattled in his sweaty palm. His teeth chattered and clenched tightly, free hand covering his bloodied lips.

He was at loss for hope, because even if he could hurt her, he wouldn't.

Her hands clenched the guns furiously. Her purple eyes widened as ever, glaring at the dotted furniture. "Come out…" Kotone spat lowly, lips pulled into a snarl. "Come out so you can _die!_" She screamed as she approached the couch. Her footsteps echoed inside the huge room.

He shut his eyes tightly, feeling a sting as a tear dripped down his cheek. The grip on the gun was getting tighter, though his body made no sudden movements. As if blood had stopped pumping in his veins, Silver couldn't feel his toes or fingers. His eyes remained shut, only seeing darkness as his vision.

He didn't want to hurt her. He absolutely didn't and wouldn't. That was the last thing in his mind.

Because he knew, harming the woman he loved would be like killing himself as well.

_Kotone…Dammit…Please-_

His thoughts were cut off immediately once Kotone taunted, "You can't hide from me forever! Come out so I can shoot your brains, you _weakling!_"

That halted his shaking. The last word made Silver cringe in shock. He snapped his eyes open. His pupils dilated, ears actually hearing the thread of sanity snapping in his brain.

And just like that, it fuelled his fiery spirit and anger.

The redhead quickly stood up. Deep, menacing growls breathed through his mouth like acid. Silver eyes glaring at the woman before him, Silver furiously retorted, "I. Am. _NOT_. A. Weakling!" He acted out of reflex. His arm stretched forward, the gun aiming for its victim. Eyes deadly focusing on his aim, Silver shot the first fire. The bullet zoomed at the speed of lightning, heading for her shoulder.

But like a ninja, Kotone scooted to the left, not even letting the ammo graze her shirt.

His silver eyes widened in disbelief. Her mouth formed a very sinister, very evil smirk.

Without a word, Kotone shot again.

Wincing, Silver ran and avoided. His legs felt light; almost flying as he dashed around the room. This time, the shooting didn't stop. Kotone fired and fired, purple eyes never leaving her target.

Each bullet was sprung out of its contraption. Each of them pierced the walls, the paintings, the books, and even one of the statues. But all of them missed Silver. He bent and spun and crouched and jumped. Once again, the man slid to his knees. Turning to his side, Silver aimed the gun at Kotone and fired three times.

First bullet; Kotone turned to her side in a blink. Second bullet; she jumped up in the air and did a complete backflip. Third bullet; she landed on her feet with a soft thump and quickly bent backwards. None of the bullets touched her. Not even a slip or a light graze. The brunette arched her torso forward, body back in a straight position. She didn't flinch. She didn't stretch out of numbness. Her body was like a robot. Opening her eyes, she gave a small smirk at the dumbfounded redhead.

While for Silver? All he could do was gawk and hang his mouth down like a moron at the amazing reflexes she just did. _What the hell…!_

Once more, Kotone aimed one of her guns and shot.

But right in the nick of time, Silver stopped right behind one of the president's statues.

Her smirk disappearing from her face, the guns shook vigorously in her clutches. She hissed grimly, feeling wrathful by the minute. "Fuck!" Kotone cursed loudly, feet angrily stomping the ground.

His heart swore to shatter his ribcage anytime soon. Shutting his eyes, Silver leaned against the sculpture. Ragged breathing exhaled through his mouth, along with a few hisses as well. _Damn it_, he mentally cursed, unable to think clearly due to the intense atmosphere. Digging into his thoughts, he tried to focus carefully on his next move. But all seemed pointless. He was still in baffling awe at her quick acts. No matter how many times he shot, the woman would easily dodge it without trouble.

And it didn't help that at the same time, he was very impressed of his girlfriend.

_Now is_ not _the time for that!_ Angry at himself, Silver slapped his forehead. His mind was a tangled daze. His vision was a blurry mess. All he could ever think about now was the annoying pigtailed brunette. He slowly opened his eyes, looking ever so sullen and heartbroken. His scorn turned into a low frown. His hand slid from his forehead to his mouth. _Kotone…_

On the other end and standing a few feet away, stood a very angry, very deranged woman. "Come out…" Her voice was croaked with malice and hatred. One foot closer, she walked towards the statue. "I said _COME OUT!_"

Still, Silver didn't budge.

And that really ticked her off. "_MEWTWO!_"

Her shriek took him by surprise. The name of the infamous legendary banged in his ears like acid. Silver could feel his skin prickle uncontrollably. Unwarily, his hands cupped his ears.

In seconds, Mewtwo appeared on the president's desk. His eyes were an empty, iris-less violet. His lips formed a tight line. Purple aura expelled from his body. Mewtwo gazed upon the statue that hid Silver. Without a peep, he stretched his right arm and waved his hand.

As a result, Silver was immediately lifted off the ground.

"What the-!" The man screamed in stunning horror. His silver eyes formed a large round to see the legendary and Kotone below him. His legs were raised slightly higher, making him dangle in an almost upside-down position.

His heart and breathing stopped for a second to see hers guns pointing directly at him.

"No!" Silver yelled. _I am_ not _going to die! I am not going to lose to this annoying brat! MY annoying brat!_ Suddenly, his eyes shifted to the chandelier. Quick thinking, Silver aimed the gun at the chains of the decorative bright lights.

Before Kotone could press the trigger, he pressed his first.

With one cut of a bullet, the chandelier snapped and crashed to the ground.

As soon as that happened, darkness soon consumed the whole surrounding.

"AAA_RGHH!_" He heard her bellow maniacally. Thankfully, he heard no other gunfire. Taking the opportunity, Silver took a wild guess and shot on his left side; right at Mewtwo.

Even though blinded by darkness, Mewtwo was able to block the ammo so easily with his shield. But as a result, his distracted mind made him lose his focus on Silver.

The man fell to the ground. Pain shot through his knees as he landed. But Silver wasted no time for cringing and dashed forward.

As for Kotone, she was getting more and more infuriated by the second. She looked left. Darkness. She looked right. Darkness. Everywhere, no matter where or how she looked around, all was but a blind abyss.

"FU- AA_RGGHH!_" She shrieked demonically. Her hands that held the guns banged her head. Her mind was nothing but bloodlust and death. She opened her purple iris-less eyes, gleaming eerily as she blinked. The brunette stomped a few times, venting out her wrathful frustration. Though she had no idea where Mewtwo was, Kotone crazily ordered, "Mewtwo, OPEN THE BLINDS!"

Posing not even a single ounce of emotion, the genetic Pokémon used his Psychic and opened the huge curtains.

At the same time, she felt her wrists being gripped; her arms being raised up. Something pressed on her stomach. Heavy breathing was roughly felt on her face. Her body jerked in surprise at the mysterious assault.

As sunlight entered the room, all she could see was Silver - locking her wrists and standing very closely to her. The muzzle of his gun was pressed on her stomach. His silver eyes were round and tainted with faint tears. His lips were pulled back into a low, deep snarl. Everything was completely quiet.

He looked at her. She stared at him. He hissed at her with such need, anger, heartbreak, and despair. She growled at him with such hatred, brute, manic, and bloodlust. His silver eyes blinked as he basked at her face; the face he dearly and truly missed. Her ragingly violet eyes stayed unmoving as she glared at his face; her mind empty from any single memory of him.

The gun shook violently in his sweaty grip.

He wouldn't shoot. He couldn't even if he wanted to.

Because he knew, harming the woman he loved would be like killing himself as well.

But it already killed him to see that she was the exact opposite of how he felt. It pained him to see no hint of emotion – love – in her ragingly empty eyes. He felt destroyed to realize that the woman he solely loved had disappeared.

His finger was lightly pressing its trigger. The gun kept trembling faster in his weak grip.

Finally,

_CLANG!_

_CLANG!_

_CLANG!_

Three guns fell out of their owners' grasps. He threw his gun away. He shook her wrists that she accidentally released hers. Without a moment to spare, Silver pulled her hands closer to his chest. He closed the distance between them, other hand quickly but gently pressed on the back of her head. Her eyes widened in bafflement, beginning to show a glint of her irises. His head plopped on her bony shoulder, mouth and nose pressed on her bare neck.

"Wake up…" Silver muttered a faint, frail whisper. His body quivered horribly that his feet was losing his balance. "Please…I'm begging you, Kotone…Wake…up…"

His voice was all that was heard inside the barren room. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks. His teeth chattered a broken tune. His fingers clutched her brown locks, letting it intertwine in his grip.

Oh how he missed her. How he missed her so much. Never had he felt so heartbroken in his life. Never had he felt so lost and blind. To finally hold her and feel her in his embrace made him whole again. To actually have her in his arms and having her scent wafting in his nostrils made him feel alive again. He didn't care. He couldn't care. Even though she gave no positive reaction, even though it felt like he was hugging a mannequin, Silver felt overjoyed. He had finally found her; finally had her in his welcoming arms.

Kotone froze like a block of ice. She was speechless to the bone. Her mind that was enraptured by evil minutes ago was demolished in an instant, leaving only blank thoughts. She herself was still trapped in her delusional hypnotism, but the sound of Silver's pleading voice was slowly entering her brain, trying to remove the curse that engulfed her.

The man broke his hug. He released his grip on her wrists, but quickly grabbed her shoulders. Kotone was bewildered to see the redness in his swollen eyes. Never had she seen such a shattered emotion.

"Wake up!" Silver shouted louder this time. "Don't you remember me? I'm the man you love to pest and mess around and disturb! I'm the man whose doors are always burnt by you just so you can greet me happily in the morning! I'm the man who keeps calling you 'brat' and a pest! I'm the man who you nicknamed 'Skitty' which is a very annoying, dumb name that freaking irritates me!" Every word he spurted out, every sentence he screamed, he shook her body. Kotone remained motionless like a doll, though her eyes were forming plates as she gawked at the crazy screaming man.

His shaking became slower. His grip became loose. "I'm the man who always needs you when I feel down, even when I don't show it. I'm the man who keeps calling you weak, but deep inside admiring your undeniable strength… I'm the man who pushes you away and always breaks your heart…even though I really don't mean to…" Silver whimpered faintly, voice croaked by broken, pitiful sobs. His voice could barely even be verbalized out of his mouth. His eyes were narrowed and drowned in tears. He stared at her, pleading terribly and shamefully at the only person he found hope.

All ego was stripped from him. All pride and arrogance disappeared in a snap. The once strong, stubborn mask that he once wore to protect himself was removed as he looked at the petite woman.

Now, all she could see was a broken, scared child, lost and in despair; looking ever so hopeless and weak.

Once again, Silver weakly placed his forehead on her shoulder. His arms linked around her arms, locking Kotone in a very tight hug, never letting her go. He slowly shook his head, nose rubbing on her shoulder. He had lost his will to even speak properly. Even so, Silver plucked up all his energy and whispered one last sentence, "I'm the man who misses you and can't live without you…"

Upon hearing his last plea, her eyes shown clear – though still purple – irises and pupils. She blinked a few times, mouth agape in confusion. Her mind began to clear up. Her thoughts began to serve her.

Her memory began to slowly invade her brain. "I…"

Suddenly, limping weakly but quickly near the door frame was none other than Archer. His body was covered in fresh blood. His shoulder lost its shape, revealing nothing but pink, gooey flesh. Jagged lines were form on his shoulder, as if someone – a Pokémon – had took a bite of him. The man cringed horribly at the traumatizing, excruciating pain. Luckily, he was able to escape before he lost his head. Using up all his strength, Archer finally reached the president's room.

And he was in all kinds of shock and rage to see Silver hugging his only pawn.

"N-n-no…" The blue-haired man gasped hollowly, trying to render out a scream. Anger fuelled into him. The redhead was still not dead. And to make matters worse, the petite Rocket seemed like she was snapping out of her trance.

And that was the last thing he ever wanted.

He then set his eyes on the stoic Mewtwo. Using his good right arm, Archer reached for the device in his pocket. Another hiss of pain breathed through his mouth. The man leaned on the wall, cursing again as his body lightly crashed against the cold wallpaper. Blue eyes grimly looking at the pair, Archer croaked, "I will NOT LOSE!"

And with that, he pressed the big red button.

The collar reacted violently on Mewtwo. The genetic Pokémon screamed in pain. He fell to his knees, hands tightly clutching his head. Sparks jolted from his body, savagely crushing and slamming everything around him.

And whatever Mewtwo felt, Kotone felt it too.

"AAAAAaaaaa_AAAAAaaa__**aAAAA!**_" A loud, ear-piercing shriek burst out of Kotone's mouth. A thousand knives stabbed her body, making her twitch and scream in agonizing pain. The sudden reaction not only made Silver broke his hug, but also made him took a step backwards.

"Kotone?!" he asked in fright, eyes round to see her body being coated in purple light. Her body began to lift up in the air. Her hands held her temple, head maniacally shaking as she cried in pain. "Kotone!"

But before he could even walk a step forward, the purple aura released tiny explosions; enough to send Silver flying off his feet. "Aagh!" he gasped in pain as his back hit the ground. Sitting up, the man gripped his wounded chest. His heartbeat was racing. Blood began to trail off the edge of his lips. But all of that didn't matter. All he could see was Kotone violently screaming and floating a few feet in the air. "Kotone!" Silver looked around. Finally, his eyes stopped to see a familiar executive near the door frame. He saw the device in the man's hand; the same contraption that controlled Mewtwo and Kotone.

Realizing this, Silver's rage had reached its boiling point. "You fuck!" The man saw a gun. Swiftly, Silver hopped to his feet and reached for the weapon. Though his body felt weak and numb, he tried to stand straight and aimed for his target. Her yell was all he could hear, both scaring and infuriating him. "Stop _RUINING MY LIFE!_" Silver pulled the trigger. The bullet zoomed right out of its machinery and straight to Archer.

Thanks to his perfect aim, the ammo sliced Archer's hand. A scream of anguish burst from his mouth. Out of reflex, the bluenette released the device as it dropped to the carpeted floor. Finally, the explosive jolts and shrieking stopped. Mewtwo slumped to the floor. But compared to Kotone, she was severely thrown backwards by an invisible force. The woman crashed to the floor; a few steps away from the cracked statues.

Luckily, the fierce explosions were gone.

Unluckily, the room was about to fall apart.

Ceilings were cracking and dropping to the floor. The whole room shook like an earthquake had happened. Books dropped. Paintings fell. Curtains torn. Even the glass walls were shattered into a million pieces. Silver tried to keep his posture straight, though it was pointless. The shaking got more violent, threatening to crumble. His skin jumped as tiles from above fell like bombs. He quickly looked for Kotone. A second later, he found her, lying motionless from a few feet away. "Kotone!"

_Crack!_

A loud sound made him turn. Positioning next to Kotone was one of the giant statues; the one with the sword and shield. But what stunned Silver was the fact that the tip of the sword had cracked into two and was dangling to plummet down.

And to add salt to his wound, Kotone was lying right below that very sharp end.

Finally, the stony tip broke from its place – and began to fall right on the fainted woman.

He swore his whole life flashed before his eyes. "_KOTONE!_" He swiftly dashed for her. His body began to lose its ability to focus, but Silver held his very last ounce of strength and continued to run. One by one a tile fell, and nimbly the man dodged. Finally, he was steps away to reach and pull Kotone before the sharp end could pierce her chest.

But to his dismay, his distracted mind and a badly wounded body caused him to trip on one of the tiles.

Silver fell as he lost his balance. Thankfully, he reached her. But not-so thankfully, he dropped right on top of her.

And then,

_SLITCH!_

* * *

_Drip… Drip…_

_Drip…_

Everything was back in its eerily silent state.

The sharp stone fell. Three dots of something cold touched her face. Upon hearing the stab and feeling the liquid, her eyes snapped open. What baffling shock she received to see Silver propping on top of her. His elbows were pressed between her head, making sure that he wouldn't squish her. His red hair cascaded to the side of his face. His silver eyes – with tears of red trickling on his cheeks – were utterly, completely, round. His mouth was opened. Blood oozed from his mouth, dripping onto her cheek and lips. His face seemed almost dead and startled.

She was then frozen in disbelief to see a long, sharp something behind his back; positioning right on his chest.

The tip of the sword had missed her. But it didn't miss Silver.

His body started to trembled vigorously. But still, Silver tried to keep his balance. He looked at her, the woman looking ever so shocked and in aghast. "H-hey…" He faintly murmured, voice not even sounding a peep. "Y-y…you…ok…ay…?" His lips tried to form a smile, but even that seemed impossible for a simple stretch of muscle was now frightfully painful for him. With a slow cringe and a twitch in his left eye, Silver gazed at Kotone. Her eyes were slowly losing its purple, instead replacing with soft, still wide hazels.

Seeing this, Silver was extremely happy – despite his crucial situation. "Y-y…Ey…es…" He coughed out blood, elbows almost feeling numb. The man slowly opened his eyes. His vision was getting worst, dark, and terribly blurry. His heartbeat was beating in a very dull speed. His body felt feeble at the lack of blood.

But even with all that happening to him, all Silver could ever think now was the one he loved under him. He forced a smile, or a small twitch of it. "T-thank…Arc…y-you…ok-" Blood was spewed out again. Kotone remained motionless under him, still gawking at the suffering redhead. Her mind still remained empty, but her eyes were already a hazel glow.

Slowly, Silver lowered down. His hands moved to her head, fingers touching each other. His lips were painted a deep red. He leaned closer until their lips brushed. He could feel her breath; so warm and fast. Her breathing was even. His breathing was very, very uneven. His eyes feeling very heavy, Silver forced a heavy gulp and lightly kissed the woman's cold lips.

Using the last ounce of his tiny strength, Silver brokenly murmured, "I…l-l-lo…ve…y-you…"

And just like that, his eyes closed shut.

His body fell on top of her. His head dropped on her chest.

Nothing.

Upon hearing those three whispering words, everything came back to her.

The memory of her first meeting with Silver. The memory of her kept bumping into Silver. The memory of her battling with Silver. The memory of her laughing and enjoying her time with Silver. The memory of her battling beside Silver. The memory of her travelling back in time. The memory of her knowing his terrible dark past. The memory of him being shot. The memory of him in the hospital. The memory of her taking care of him. The memory of her seeing him almost about to kill himself. The memory of him disappearing out of nowhere. The memory of her finding him. The memory of her being together with him. The memory of her spending wonderful time with him.

The memory of her being in love with Silver Wolfe.

A loud gasp escaped her mouth. Kotone panted and breathed heavily, catching some breath. Her hazel eyes looked left and right, head dumfounded on her surroundings.

She was back to normal.

Suddenly, a horrible stench wafted in her nostrils. Kotone peeked on her torso. "S-Silver?!" she screamed in utter bewilderment. The man remained motionless; unmoving. Taking one deep breath, she pushed the man to the side and sat up straight. The brunette gasped again, hand covering her chest.

She then froze to feel something cold and sticky on her fingers.

Trembling, she looked at her hand. Her eyes widened to see red painted almost her every skin. She then turned to look at Silver.

She swore her whole world stopped to see him splashed in a pool of his own blood.

"Silver!" Kotone shouted once again, louder this time. She quickly crawled to his side. "Silver! Silver wake up!" She shook his body, but received no response at all. Panicking, Kotone looked around. Her eyes then felt like popping out to see a sharp stone pierced on his back. "Oh my Arceus!" Fear rushed into her every vein. Taking no time to lose, Kotone took hold of the hard cement and pulled it out. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks to see blood – his blood – on the sharp tip. "No…"

She threw the piece away. Kotone gave her full attention back on the fallen man. "Silver! Wake up!" She shook his body again, mind hoping – wishing – that he would be awake. But to no avail, he gave no response. His eyes remained shut. His mouth remained slightly agape. "Silver!"

From afar, Mewtwo slowly awaken from his slumber. Hand rubbing his throbbing head, the genetic Pokémon opened his eyes. 'Where…am…I…?'

He then was silenced completely as he saw a pair of familiar faces. One was vigorously shaking the other's body. One was lying on the floor like a ragdoll.

Mewtwo's eyes dilated as everything came back to him. _No…_

She shook again. And again. Her shaking became violent that the man rolled on his back. "Silver!" Kotone quickly tore open his jacket, leaned forward, and placed her ear on his chest.

But to her utter terrifying nightmare, she heard no heartbeat. None at all.

"No…" She mouthed. Turning her head, she tried listening with her right ear. Once again, she heard nothing. "N-no…" Kotone sat up, eyes gawking at the lifeless body. Her hands stayed on his chest, though shaking had gotten slower and frailer. For a brief moment, her world stopped. Her heart halted its beating. Her muscles tensed and locked tightly. Her bulging eyes remained open to see the lying, bloody person in front of her.

Then reality came back to her, reminding her of the horrid, painful thought that the man she solely loved – the man who had just confessed his love to her – had left the world.

Forever.

"N-n…_NooooOOoOoOOoOo__**oooOooo…!**_"

* * *

Finally, White, N, and the other Pokémon – even Kotone's and Silver's – reached the room. Shocked was all they could feel to see the whole room was a wreck. As if that wasn't bad enough, all of them froze to see a certain couple from a distance. One was sitting. One was lying. But one thing was for sure; both were covered in nothing but blood.

"Kotone! Silver!" White and N shouted, half in relief and half still in fear.

But they didn't hear them. Kotone was seen laying her head on Silver's chest, preferably crying. Her hands clutched his black shirt. Her knees gave in and she pathetically lay on his torso.

It took them a second to realize what had happened.

'No…' Sneasel mourned, his eyes quickly forming tears. The rest of Silver's Pokémon remained frozen in bafflement. Alakazam almost fell to his knees as he felt no aura from Silver; proving their disbelieving nightmare.

Feraligatr felt like his heart had stopped beating. His mouth hanged low, unable to believe the terrifying truth. 'No…' He barked, head slowly shaking. 'No no no no _NO!_' The starter roared violently, claws scratching his temple. 'NO NO NO NO _**SILVER NO!**_'

"Ugh…"

Another voice took their attention. All heads turned to their left. There he was, Archer sitting and wobbling near the big open hole that was once covered in glass.

Feraligatr's pupils shrunk in predatory bloodlust as he saw the blue-haired human. '_YOU!_' he roared savagely. Stomping his feet, he dashed for the frail man. Archer, still dizzy and had no time to recover, merely gasped and croaked heavily as Feraligatr clutched his neck. The big jaw Pokémon lifted him up, huge fangs snarling acidly like a dangerous Pokémon. 'You killed my best friend! You _fucking_ killed my family!' He gripped his neck with both his paws. One by one his claws pierced through Archer's thin skin, letting out oozes of human blood trailing down his scales.

'Feraligatr! Stop!' Typhlosion ran to his rampaging childhood friend.

"N-n…_NooooOOoOoOOoOooo__**oOooo…!**_" Kotone's manic shriek caught them by surprise. Before anyone could give a reaction, the room shook again. Wind suddenly appeared out of nowhere, creating a mini tornado. Purple electrifying jolts blinded their vision. Another scream joined in as well. This time, Kotone's Pokémon flinched unintentionally, knowing very well who that other voice belonged to.

It was Mewtwo's.

Even though both were free from the hypnotism, both were still connected mentally. As Kotone suffered, so did the legendary. Mewtwo screamed and wailed maniacally, hands holding his temple. His body was raised once again. Purple light wrapped around his body, creating a huge ball. Not only the room, but the whole building began to crumble and shake.

White then soon knew what was going to happen. "Mewtwo's going to explode! And if we don't do something, we will not only lose Saffron City, but us too!"

All eyes were wide and all hearts stopped. All gawked at Mewtwo. "We have to do something! _Now!_" N almost lost his balance as he spoke, but he quickly crouched down, head frantic in worry.

He watched as White fumbled inside her satchel. Her five remaining Pokéballs were out and placed in her palms. The brunette went to the baffled Sneasel. On her knees to meet the Pokémon's level, White wildly pleaded, "Sneasel, please remove this sticky goo of these balls. Quick!"

Sneasel blinked in stupor. But taking no more time to act like a fool, the sharp claw Pokémon shook his head and nodded sternly. Inhaling once, he breathed some ice on the purple substances. Once turned into mini blocks of dotted popsicles, Sneasel and White scraped the icy piece off. As a result, the Pokéballs were now free and ready to be released.

And just in the nick of time, parts of the ceiling of the building collapsed to the ground, shattering down right to the lowest floor. The impact caused another tremor, causing all of them to fall on their knees and butts.

Feraligatr – standing next to the wide open wall – tripped and lost his balance.

'Bro!' Panicking to see his friend almost falling to his doom, Typhlosion sprinted faster. His speed was proven worthwhile as he was able to make it and quickly clutched on the water starter's tail. Feraligatr dangled below, eyes wide in terror and fear.

Even though he made it, Archer didn't.

Due to the gruesome tremor, Feraligatr had lost his grip and accidentally released Archer – letting him fall 12 storeys off the ground. He disappeared into the white clouds, though the starters could feel their skin prickle to know that the human's fate had ended in a very messy way.

The volcano Pokémon used all his strength and pulled Feraligatr up. It was a success, but Typhlosion then panted tiringly and slumped to the floor. Red eyes staring at his gasping friend, he carefully asked, 'Are you okay?'

It took Feraligatr a few blinks to bring him back to life. He looked at Typhlosion. Seeing the full concern in his red eyes, it brought a wave of extreme joy to the water starter's heart. Typhlosion may be ruthless and they may have argued in a horribly ugly battle in a few times, but no matter what happens, they will always have each other's backs. 'I'm fine. Thanks, bro…'

"_AaaaAAAaAAAaAAaaa!_" Kotone wailed again until her throat cracked into two. She covered her ears with her hands, eyes tightly shut, denying in accepting the cruel reality in front of her. The whole building began to sway left and right. Mewtwo was no longer seen as his aura had reached a deep dark ball of purple.

Wasting no more time, White stood up and threw the Ultra ball up in the open air. "Reshiram! Use Psychic and shield this whole building and us!"

The ball popped open and the vast white Pokémon let himself out. Flapping his majestic white wings, Reshiram closed his eyes and focused his mind. A second later, his eyes glowed a bright blue and a barrier was formed around the collapsing Silph building, and around his human friends and Pokémon. All seemed like the perfect last resort plan. Mewtwo would release his energy and the building would burst into a million pieces. But it would only happen inside the powerful shield and the others would remain unharmed thanks to the legendary's other tiny shields.

Though there was one problem: Kotone and Silver were still out in the open without any protection from the upcoming blast.

_I can't form another shield, Lady White._ Reshiram winced as he tried to focus. _If I do, I might not be able to withstand this one that is currently covering the building._

White cursed under her breath. The energy ball around Mewtwo was growing bigger, ready to unleash its hell. Her mind then snapped an idea. Reaching for another Pokéball, White nimbly released it. "Banette! Use your Psychic and protect Kotone and Silver! Hurry!" she hastily commanded, heartbeat wildly pumping inside her chest.

The marionette Pokémon took no time to ponder. Zooming to the ground below and appearing right outside the shield, she flew right towards the couple.

For a solitary moment, everything was moving so slow.

White and N hugged, bracing for impact. Typhlosion and Feraligatr both bent on one another as they protected each other. The other Pokémon huddled together, mouths mumbling in Arceus' name.

Everyone seemed to freeze in their tracks.

Everyone was silently praying for the best.

Banette almost reached the ill-fated couple, her small arm stretched out and eyes beginning to light a bright violet glow.

And then, with one last terrifying scream, Mewtwo exploded into another powerful blast of purple aura.

* * *

Everything was quiet.

Everything was frozen in time.

Heartbeats were all they could hear. Heavy breathing was all they could feel.

White and N slowly opened their eyes. She could feel his arms locked around her waist. He could feel her arms linked around his neck. Both looked around, stunned to see the aftermath of the explosion.

What was once a building was now a giant pile of nothing but dust and rubble.

But to their utmost relief, all of them were floating up in the air, thanks to Reshiram's strong shield. Her aqua eyes scanned the skies. She then exhaled a loud sigh to see Kotone, Silver, and Banette from afar; the three protected in the marionette's own purple barrier. Wiping her forehead, White sighed again and leaned against N's chest. "Thank Arceus…"

Slowly, Reshiram lowered them down. The sudden blast attracted a lot of the citizen's attention. Crowd was soon forming along, eyes wide and mouths chattering. Sounds of phones beeping and words like '911' and 'ambulance' were all they could hear.

White kneeled and gripped her chest as Reshiram removed his Psychic. All of them stopped to catch their breaths. A soft squeeze was felt, making her turn. N watched her in worry, yet a small thankful smile formed on his lips. "Are you okay?"

Though she herself was still caught in numbing pain and tiredness, White managed a sweet, lazy smile. "I'm okay, N."

Everything was beginning to calm down.

But not everyone was safe.

All of Kotone's and Silver's Pokémon ran towards their respective trainers. White, N, and their Pokémon watched as the Johto trainers were crowded by their team. The ponytailed brunette tried to move and ran to her cousin's aid as well, but fatigue had gotten the best of her, making her unable to even stand straight. Her heart dropped to hear faint sobbing; one that definitely belonged to Kotone.

Mewtwo fell from the skies, fainted and weak from the blast. But luckily, Reshiram swiftly caught him and gently flew down to the ground. Once landed, the vast white Pokémon lifted the Kanto legendary with his mind and carefully placed him on the shattered piles. A heavy groan escaped Mewtwo's mouth. His eyes woozily fluttered open. The genetic Pokémon slowly sat up, feeling another rush of headache coming along.

'Are you okay?' Reshiram mewled in concern, neck tilting to meet Mewtwo's head.

He didn't give an answer, but that was just because he was still dizzy from the impact. His hand then moved to his stiff neck. His movement halted as he felt no collar. Immediately standing up – which caused Reshiram to bark in concern again – Mewtwo moved his hands around his neck.

The collar was gone. He was finally free.

_It must have been destroyed from that last explosion_, Mewtwo thought, feeling grateful that he was no longer being controlled.

But grateful wasn't completely the correct word as he felt a heavy, heartbroken feeling in his chest. The genetic Pokémon held his pounding heartbeat. That feeling didn't belong to him. It certainly wasn't. But he flinched as he knew who the despairing feeling belonged to: Kotone.

Mewtwo quickly cast his attention on the surrounding Pokémon. He was right. Sobs and mournful cries echoed in his ears, only increasing his guilt and the heavy despair. Eyes narrowing into a dim, rueful sight, Mewtwo faintly breathed, 'No…'

All kinds of noises were heard.

All kinds of people and Pokémon surrounded the area.

But all of that mattered none to Kotone.

She lay on Silver's chest. Her forehead was slumped on her folded arms. She cried and cried until her tears were dried up. Her fingers clutched the black shirt that covered his cold body. Her body couldn't stop shaking. Her will to scream or shout was completely gone. Her soul seemed to have left her, leaving a broken carcass that did nothing but mourn and weep continuously.

But no matter how hard she cried; no matter how loud she screamed into the heavens and pleaded until her eyes cried blood, nothing could turn back time. Nothing she could do would bring back what she had lost.

Because the man who she solely loved – the man who had just confessed his love to her – had left the world.

Forever.

_No…_


	23. 22

_So, this is life._

_Cruelty._

_Bitterness._

_Agony._

_Death._

_It's funny, really. How a person's reason to live and be happy can be snatched away in seconds. The first minute, you're actually smiling; actually thinking that there is no wrong in this world._

_The next minute: Your life is destroyed and dead before your very eyes, with your soul hanging in the balance._

_You just can't be happy forever, can't you?_

_I can't be happy forever, can't I?_

"Cerbiii…"

A small chirp echoed inside the abyss. His eyes slowly fluttered open, inviting the darkness as his only vision. Head turned left; emptiness. Head turned right; blankness. His eyes resulted with small, three blinks, mind still dazed as to where he was.

"Biii…"

There it was again; the chirping sound. He looked up, but all he could see was darkness. The man then stared down, eyes wide in horror to see his body floating in nothingness. "Where…" His body froze to hear the sound of his voice. His hands moved to his neck unwarily, thumb caressing his soft flesh. A gulp slipped down his throat, feeling the liquid oozed down to his stomach.

There were no scars. There were no bruises. Not a single wound imprinted his body. Not a single tear of flesh was shown on his skin. His hand moved to his chest. His heartbeat pulsed in a normal matter, giving no signs of it weakening. Baffled, the man caressed his chest. There was neither a hole nor a trace of a stab on his torso. A gulp was bestowed once again. His empty mind was soon tangled with a million questions. "What-"

_Hi there!_

He looked up, eyes round yet again to see a small green figure in front of him. The Celebi flew around the only human, mouth forming a small smile. _Oops, sorry to scare you._ The time travel Pokémon giggled amusingly, hands cupping her tiny mouth. _I'm Celebi, if you seem to have forgotten me._

"Ce…le…bi…?" He asked in a dumbfounded tone. The Pokémon's mouth had not moved, but her telepathic voice was crystal clear in the man's mind. Celebi nodded, happy that he was still able to speak.

_Yes! And I'm guessing you can still remember your name, right Silver?_

Shock was all he could feel once the tiny legendary voiced his name. Silver blinked like an idiot, gawking at the giggling Pokémon. "How did you…?" His voice had gotten louder and clearer at each passing minute. "How did you know my name…?"

Celebi laughed yet again. _I've always remembered your name, Silver. I never forget it. In fact_, Moving an inch closer, Celebi cheerfully mewled, _I never forget about you._

His body floated backwards out of reflex. Silver just stared at the tiny creature as if she was a ghost. He parted his mouth, wanting to ask a million questions that stumped his mind. But a second passed, and Silver shut his mouth again. The man looked around. The place was still coated in a blank, empty abyss.

Suddenly, a thought entered his mind, making his heart skipped a beat and his eyes narrowed into a sullen glow.

Now he remembered why he was here. Now he recalled why he would exist in such a barren place. He remembered the last fight he had inside the huge office room. He remembered meeting the only love of his life and duelling her to the death. He remembered a gun pressed onto her stomach, the metal contraption ready to release its bullet and snatch her life. Then he remembered locking her into a tight hug, mercifully begging her to snap out of her dark trance.

He remembered her soft voice as she was slowing regaining back her memories. He remembered the ground violently shaking as Mewtwo went berserk. He remembered shooting Archer to make the wrathful tremor stop. He remembered tiles of the ceiling falling like shooting stars.

He remembered seeing Kotone from afar as she lay unconsciously. He remembered seeing a sharp tip of a sword quickly dangling and falling to her death. He remembered dashing towards his girl, all the while mouth screaming her name. He remembered tripping and falling on top of her. He remembered something sharp piercing into his back that it plunged into the very core of his frailly beating heart.

And most of all, the last of his memory – the only memory he had before disappearing from the world – that he remembered was himself whispering "I love you" before Silver shut his eyes forever.

Even though his heart was now beating healthily, it felt like it had dropped down to the corner of his stomach. Looking at the patiently waiting Pokémon, Silver woefully asked, "Am I…dead?"

Those words slurred out of him like dots of poison. He didn't need to hear her speak though for he knew the obvious answer. Silver looked down, his teeth gritting madly in frustration. Now he remembered. Now he remembered perfectly as to why he was wasted in such a dark territory. Hands balling into fists, he lightly banged his head. Clutches of his red locks were tangled between his fingers as Silver pulled them painlessly. His breathing got uneven and ragged. Light hisses breathed through his gritted teeth. "I'm…dead…Aren't I…?"

He definitely knew the grim answer.

Or so he thought. _Yes and no._

His head shot up, silver eyes gawking at Celebi's words. "What?" His voice was filled with confused bewilderment. "What do you mean 'yes and no'?"

Silver's dumbfounded reaction made her giggle. _I mean yes you're dead in_ that _world_. Celebi pointed her hands down, as if referring to the Pokémon world. _But you're not in the afterlife yet. So your soul kinda hangs in between, thus not being fully dead._ Chuckling, Celebi scratched the back of her head. _I know. It's kinda confusing, isn't it?_

Silver merely gawked without a word, answering her question.

A soft smile formed on her lips. _You see,_ Celebi twirled around Silver, _this is a plane that exists between our world and the afterlife. After your soul left your body, it travels to the next life through this barren plane. It takes a while to get there and your soul or anyone's soul isn't supposed to be 'awake' in the process._ Realizing what she had done, the time travel Pokémon scratched her head again and meekly stuck out her tongue. _In which I wasn't supposed to wake you up. My bad._ She gave out a childish giggle.

Her explanation only increased his dazed bafflement. Slowly, he looked at his hands. _So…that means I'm still dead…_ A small frown curved his pale red lips. Even with Celebi's complicated and confusing explanation, it wouldn't change the fact that he was already forever gone. Both hands moved to his chest, feeling his beating heart; one that wasn't supposed to bump a single beat anymore. Eyes closing to a shut, Silver sighed bitterly._That means I'll never get to see Kotone…_

Suddenly, his thoughts screeched to a halt. Something else came to his mind, making him stare right back at the floating Pokémon. "Wait, if I'm…" He stopped, mouth apart and open. He could feel his body tremble in utter terror. Silver forced a gulp, unable to say those four dreadful letters. "If I'm…dead, then why are you here? Don't tell me you're…'gone' too?"

Celebi blinked in confusion, then laughed out loud in amusement. Silver gaped at her enthusiastic personality.

For a brief moment, Celebi reminded him of Kotone.

_No silly. I'm perfectly healthy and very much alive._ She flew a few steps in front of the man's face, breaking him from his daydream. _You see, I have the ability to travel to this plane whenever I want. Only a few legendaries and very few ghost Pokémon can do this._ With a playful wink, she added,_ And I am those special few._

The more she explained, the more dumbfounded he got. It took him a few minutes to finally let all the information sipped into his mind. "Wait, wait." Silver waved his hands while his legs kicked the airless air. "If I'm… 'gone' and you're alive and practically existing here now in front of me, then why?"

A soft purr escaped her mouth. _Well_, Taking a few steps back, Celebi waved her arms up in the air, _to show you this_. A bright green light appeared above her head. Silver slightly flinched at the sudden light. His arms shielded his squinted eyes as the man tried to make-do with the change of situation. Finally, the blind light dimmed, enabling him to look forward.

If not for the fact that he was already dead, Silver's heart would cease beating now as he saw the images on Celebi's portal.

All were dressed in black. Thin, dark veils covered their sullen faces. A few gathered around, heads down and hands clasped together for a prayer. Only one lady stood in silence, trembling hands cupping her mouth. She stood in the middle of the crowd. Her legs wobbled weakly. Her shoulders couldn't stop quivering ever since she woke up. Her eyes were a deep red and fully swollen. Her cheeks were flushed yet thin. Finally, she fell on her knees. Her gloved fingers dug into the soft soil. Her hat plopped to the ground. Finally, a whimper breathed through her pale lips. The woman tried to scream, but her vocal chords had reached its limit. She just kneeled there; hopeless and utterly drowned in eternal sorrow.

His tombstone stood in its place. Clouds shielded the bright sun, adding more grief to the mourning crowd. And even more despair in Kotone's shattered, demolished, broken heart.

His eyes stopped at the name of the tombstone: Silver M. Wolfe.

It was his grave.

It was his funeral.

Silver fell to his knees, though body still floating in mid-air. "I…" He mouthed out, eyes glued to the fallen, tearful woman. "Why…"

Celebi didn't answer him. She looked as Silver fell into despair. _This is your future. Or to be more accurate, your last and only future._ She gazed upon her portal. Cries and wails of others echoed in their ears. But Kotone's voice was the loudest, making her form a sad frown. _It's so sad to know that she will never be the same again._

His fists were formed yet again to hear her words. Silver looked down at the abyss. He couldn't bear watching the tragic scene no more. Unfortunately, Kotone's broken sob was still heard, making him shiver in complete self-hatred and guilt. "Stop it…" He hissed lowly, hands cupping his ears. "Stop. It."

However, it was too late. His mind soon stabbed him with such heart-stopping thoughts. He knew she will never smile again. He knew she will never laugh again. He knew he had brought her into a wave of eternal despair. He knew he had done it once again; bringing the people that he loved into complete sorrow and grief.

Even though he was now a ghost, Silver didn't question at the fact that a tear was trickling down his cheek. _Kotone…Please…Don't cry…_ His head gave out a few slow shakes. The man bent his torso that his forehead reached the same level of his knees. "Please…I'm sorry…" In the end, his voice was mournfully shattered.

The Pokémon watched as Silver broke down into tears. Head inclined to the left, she slowly floated towards Silver.

"Why…" She heard him asked yet again. "Why are you showing me this…?"

It maddened Silver to hear Celebi answered him with a laugh. Sorrow replaced with anger, Silver growled furiously and looked up, "What's so fucking fun-"

His words reached a silence once Celebi said, _It's because I wanted to show you this before I make a few alterations._

Well, that was unexpected. "Few…what?"

Silver made the funniest faces when he was in shock. And that really made Celebi laugh in glee. She was beginning to build a liking to the young man. _Oh it's nothing, really. Just a little something I like to do on my spare time,_ she joked as Celebi waved her arm, removing the horrendous vision. Instead, it was replaced with another portal.

This time, Silver could barely breathe to see the images on the screen.

It was the time where the violent tremor happened. The time where Silver saw Kotone fainted near one of the huge statues. The time where the tip of the sword dangled and threatened to fall on her; which in the end fell on him.

"What the…" He was speechless beyond words to see himself.

"Kotone!" He heard his own living version screaming for her as he dashed helplessly. He could see him cringed and groaned in wounded pain, yet body still pushing its limit to reach Kotone.

_Now let's see…_ Silver then focused his attention at Celebi. The time travel Pokémon stared at her portal, fingers lightly tapping her chin as if in thought. _If we remove this tiny little fragment out of the way._ Celebi snapped her fingers.

The man gawked at the screen. A single tile fell from the ceiling – the same tile that made him trip and fall on Kotone. But before that piece of rubble could slam the floor, it disintegrated into clear nothingness.

And just like that, everything changed completely.

Instead of tripping, Silver was able to run perfectly. Instead of falling on top of her, he was able to pull Kotone out of the way.

Instead of the sharp stony sip stabbing the back of his chest, it merely fell and crashed onto the floor.

Silver then saw him and Kotone rolling on the floor, him groaning another painful sound. The redhead lay on his front beside Kotone, mouth panting and gasping for air. He could see himself staring at the brunette, mouth forming a thankful smile.

Just as things couldn't get any more startling, Silver froze to see a small piece of debris falling on his head. His eyes went round, then seized into a shut.

But instead of closing his eyes for good, this time, Silver just fainted.

Celebi laughed happily. Silver gawked in silence.

"What the…" He looked at the time travel Pokémon. The Pokémon had her back facing him. Slowly, the redhead stood up, legs slightly bent as his body still drifted like a balloon. "Why…?"

A few seconds later, Celebi finally turned to face her baffled audience. A sweet smile formed her lips. _Everybody deserves a second chance, Silver._

That moment. That one single moment, Silver swore once the Pokémon muttered his name, it sounded exactly like his mother.

Before he could do anything, Celebi's body glowed intensively. Her eyes gleamed an iris-less green glow. She raised her arms and looked up. "Cerrrr_BIII!_" Green aura expelled from her tiny figure. Once again, Silver was almost thrown back. Growling quietly, he kept his posture and shielded his eyes. "What the hell-"

_"Mama! I love you!"_

He froze to hear his young self. Quickly, Silver looked forward, not caring whether the light was too bright for his eyes.

Once he saw what was happening in front of him, his eyes were so round that it could bulge right out of its sockets and his mouth was so down it could tear off his face any minute.

Because what appeared right in front of him wasn't a portal anymore. No. It was a thousand portals; all showing his happy, cheerful past.

_"Come on, Xander! Last one there is a rotten egg!"_ He could see his young self running along with his childhood friend and laughing happily.

_"Weee! Faster, Papa, faster!"_ He could see his little self cheerfully waving his little arms while sitting on Giovanni's shoulder; the man himself running around in circles.

_"Mama! Lookie I made a drawing of us!"_ He could see his toddler-self proudly showing a picture of his family to his smiling mother.

_"I'll prove to you, Mama. I will be nice to all the Pokémon and I will be the strongest trainer ever and I will make you proud!"_ He could see his little self screaming in utter determination and his mother giggling in amusement.

_"Feraligatr, you…uh…You did…good…"_ He could see his teenage self awkwardly complimenting Feraligatr, the first time he showed affection to the Pokémon.

_"Guys, get off me before I go berserk again…"_ He could see his 17-year old self sighing in defeat as his Pokémon drowned him in their hug attacks.

_"Thanks…"_ He could see his recent self – the night where he apologized for his deranged behaviour - crying happily as he was forgiven by his team and gave him a loving hug. It was also the night where Silver knew he had finally obtained his family.

All the memories. All the images that were shown. It all gave Silver a huge wave of emotions. More tears poured down his face. But rather than sorrow, it was replaced with utter blank bewilderment. Scenes of him smiling and laughing were all he could see. Images of his departed mother and father, and Pokémon planted into his eyes and brain. All of them laughed enjoyably. All of them smiled joyfully.

"Cerbii." Celebi's voice snapped his attention. Another blind light happened beside him, making him turn to his left.

A loud gasp escaped his mouth to see that this time, Celebi wasn't alone.

A beautiful lady stood beside the legendary. Her body was cladded in a pure white dress. Her long, red hair cascaded to the back of her waist. The lady opened her eyes, revealing a pair of majestic, mesmerizing hazels. A gentle smile formed her red lips, happy to see the gawking child.

It was Emery Wolfe, his mother.

"M-Mama…?" Silver asked in completely stupidity. His tearful eyes didn't blink at all as he gawked at the woman in front of him. "M-Mama!" Like a robot, his legs swiftly dashed to her. "Mama, Mama, Mama!" He cried and cried again, sprinting as fast as he could to Emery. Without a word, she spread her arms, welcoming the child into her arms.

In less than seconds, Silver embraced her mother. He hugged her neck and placed his mouth on her crimson hair, seeing that he was now taller than her. "Mama…" He mouthed her name over and over, voice broken into woeful cracks. Emery reacted with a sweet laugh. Upon hearing the soothing voice that was her mother, Silver swore he had lost his ability to breathe.

He broke his hug, yet hands still gripping on her shoulders. His eyes didn't deceive him. His mother was really standing before him. Emery cast a loving smile as she met the man's gaze.

Hand softly petting his cheek, Emery softly spoke, "My Silver. How you have grown."

This time, Silver swore he really did die and gone to heaven. "Mama…" He tried to say any other words, but all that came out was that one single word.

"Snea!" Another chirp made him jump. Silver glanced on the woman's shoulder. His silver eyes widened to see Xander happily standing on Emery's shoulder. "Xander! You're here too!" Without waiting for a moment, he snatched the sharp claw Pokémon and locked him in a tight hug. The Sneasel squeaked breathlessly, making Silver realize he was quite overdoing it. Holding Xander a few inches away from his face, Silver bashfully apologized, "Sorry…"

'It's okay, Bro.' Xander forgave the human and tapped Silver's nose. The redhead chuckled dryly, tears still streaming down his cheeks. Making himself comfortable in Silver's arms, Xander purred lovingly. The man did nothing but laugh like an idiot, still not believing the miracle he was in. Silver gazed at her mother, who gave him a motherly smile.

"I miss you a lot, Silver." Emery murmured softly, hand caressing his red hair.

His cheeks were shaded in bright red. Silver looked down, droplets dripping onto his shoes. "I miss you too, Mama. I miss you and Xander a lot…" He hid his face on the Sneasel's soft fur, helplessly hiding the childish sobs that escaped his mouth.

Suddenly, his body froze as his mother wrapped her arms around him. "Silver my dear, we were never gone." Emery pulled him down that Silver rested his head on her shoulder. "Both Mama and Xander looked out for you while you were in your journey. We made sure you lived a happy life. And even though you couldn't see us, we were always there all along, watching you as you grow up to become a fine young man."

Hearing every word she said. Hearing every sentence that sipped right into his brain and heart, it made Silver cry louder than usual. He wept and sobbed shamefully. His arms turned into noodles and unwarily released Xander. The Sneasel fell, but quickly took a clutch of Emery's dress. He scurried to her shoulder and sat happily. Silver hugged her mother tighter, showing no signs of letting go.

But to his dismay, it was Emery that let him go. "M-Mama…?" A jolt of panic slammed into him as Emery gently released his grip. "M-Mama…No…"

Before he could scream, Emery placed a finger on his lips. "I have to go, my son. While you have to get back to where you belong."

His heart broke and shattered to hear his mother could even speak such nonsensical words. Silver quickly gripped Emery's hands, head frantically shaking in disbelief. "N-No…Y-you can't-"

"Silver…" Emery murmured again, seizing him shut. She flashed a soft, motherly smile, melting every ounce of his heart. "You're never alone, remember? I'm always here…" Her palm moved to his chest, stopping to where his heart belonged. "In your heart…"

A frown was still all she could see. His shaking had gotten slower, but his eyes were still wet and swollen from all the crying. "I need you…"

"I know, baby." She replied softly, yet with a hint of mourn herself. Both hands cupping the man's cheeks and hazel eyes gazing upon her child's silvers, Emery softly said, "But there is someone who needs you more right now."

Just as she finished those words, a whole new vision of portals appeared around them. Silver gawked at the newly formed screens. His swollen eyes were round as saucers to see the images on each portal.

It was Kotone.

_"You, boy! I'm asking you! Are you a stalker?"_ He could see Kotone poking him annoyingly as she asked him without fear; the first time they ever met.

_"Silver, huh? What a cute name for a cute face like you!"_ He could see Kotone happily complimenting on his name as she stumbled upon his Trainer card.

_"Silvy! Look! I made us friendship bracelets! Now wear it before I have Typhlosion burn you into a crisp yay!"_ He could see Kotone running towards him with her usual perky self.

_"Yay! I have a boyfriend and his name is Silver!"_ He could see Kotone jumping excitingly and locking him into a tight hug right after he – finally – declared a relationship with her.

_"My precious Skitty! Who's my precious Skitty? You are! Yes you are! Yes you are!"_ He could see Kotone comfortably snuggling on his head while he himself sighed in defeat.

_"You're a good man, Silver. You may be arrogant and mean at times, but no matter what, I always know you're a good and loving man."_ He could see Kotone standing before him as she said those words, resulting with his face being beet red.

_"I see you as a good person, Silver. You may have a dark past but who doesn't. Nobody's perfect. I'm not perfect. But people can change – whether it's for the better or for worse."_ He could see Kotone murmuring those words to him after she learned about his past. Silver knew, at that moment, he felt like it was a miraculous dream that someone could love a monster like him.

_"I love you…"_ Finally, his eyes stayed glued to an image of Kotone hugging him the last night they were together. Those three words rang in his ears like a melodious bell. The sight of her gentle, hopeful face had snatched his ability to breathe right. Unwarily, his body floated to that certain portal, eyes still stuck on the brunette.

"Kotone…" His mouth whimpered her name, arms reached out to touch her face. Oh how he missed her. How he missed her voice. How he missed her face. How he missed her smile that always lifted his spirits up. How he missed her laugh that always brought a shine in his counting days. How he missed her, the only light that brought hope in his once scarred life.

He missed her. And foremost of all, he definitely loved her.

His body slightly shook to feel a hand on his shoulder. Silver turned slowly, only to see her mother and Xander, both giving him sweet, angelic smiles. But compared to them, Silver still gave a sad frown. "I need her too. But I…" Silver slowly looked up, meeting her mother's gaze. "I'm going to miss you a whole lot…" He looked down, not wanting Emery to see more pathetic tears on his red face.

He froze to feel her mother's soft touch as she touched his chin, slowly pushing him up to face her. Emery let out a low, loving laugh. "Silver, my dear and precious son," Her thumb lightly wiped away the drops that dripped down his cheeks, "you are never alone. I will always – always – be with you. And who knows? Fate works in many different ways." Her smile grew warmer, finally making Silver form a small half-smile. "One day we'll meet again. Even though at that time I won't meet you as your mother, but one thing's for sure, if it's meant to be, we will definitely see each other again."

Silver could only be rendered speechless at his mother's convincing words. Finally, he took one long, deep breath and exhaled slowly. Pursing his lips, the man looked at Emery. Her smile was all he could see. He then peeked at Xander, who also gave him an assuring grin.

A moment of silence wafted the air, surrounding the mother and son pair. Silver peeked from behind, eyes staring at the image of a smiling Kotone. His heart softened at the beautiful face, feeling a sense of want and need sipping into his veins. He inhaled another breath and released it again. Once confident that he was fine, Silver cast a glance back at his mother. With a wide, boyish smile, he cheerfully assured, "Then if that's the case, I can't wait to see you again, Mama."

Emery's smile widened that it could reach her ears. "I'm so proud of you, my son." Both mother and son embraced each other, hugging for the last time. The hug lingered longer than before. A few minutes later, Silver released his grip and chuckled bashfully.

The three shared their last laugh. Eyes on the Sneasel, Silver patted Xander. "You and Mama take care, alright?"

Xander replied with a tenacious bark.

Back on Emery, his eyes narrowed into a softer gleam. "I love you, Mama."

Emery flashed a white smile. With a little tiptoe, she gently kissed his forehead. Just as she did, her body began coating in a bright white light. Silver could feel her body fading into non-existent. Though half of him was still shattered that he wouldn't be able to meet his mother again, the other half – the half that believed in fate – skipped in joy, anticipating to see not only the 'other' Emery, but also his Kotone.

Just as they disappeared, Silver could feel his body feeling very light. He looked down, silver eyes widened in shock to see his body turning into white dusts. His mouth parted, but he didn't scream. He felt no pain, and for that he felt no fear. Instead, a smile was bestowed upon his lips. He felt calm and at ease. One by one the portal poofed into oblivion; eventually leaving only a fading Silver. He shut his eyes and looked up as the light reached his neck and chin. His smile stayed intact until the last ray of light finally covered him whole.

But before he could return back to the life he once owned, Silver could vividly hear the last words of his mother: "I love you and always have, my beloved Silver…"


	24. 23

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

The sound resonated through the empty walls. A bed was placed in the middle of the barren room. A patient was seen; unmoving and unconscious. His pale lips and nose were masked by a mask that served him oxygen. His left arm was hooked to an I.V. filled with blue liquid. His red hair was brought backwards, revealing a clean, white bandage that wrapped his forehead. His breathing was even, just as it was a few days back. A heart monitor was hooked to him, steadily counting his beating – living – heartbeats.

She sat by the bedside, swollen eyes impatiently looking at the wounded patient. _Four days_, she thought, _Four days and you're still not awake. Why aren't you awake?_ Her shoulders slumped in a forfeiting manner. Her head fell forward and her cheek landed on the soft sheet, eyes still glued to the face of the fallen.

"Wake up…" Kotone whimpered shamelessly, hands squeezing his palm. It was icy cold to the touch, which sent her a frightful shiver down her spine. Her hazel eyes – which were now red and puffy like bruised clouds – were dry from tears. She couldn't cry even if she wanted to.

Slow, even breaths were heard from him, indicating that he was still alive.

And that really gave Kotone a huge wave of relief.

But as time passed by, that relief was slowly turning into irrational fear.

"Silver…" Kotone mumbled again, voice cracked by previous pathetic wails. She plopped her forehead once again on the bed, both hands tightly but gently gripping his palm. "For Arceus sake, please wake up…"

_Tick._

She waited.

_Tock._

And waited.

_Tick._

And waited.

_Tock._

As every second burned, her heart fell deeper into the darkest pit of despair.

"Kotone."

Like lightning, her torso shot straight up, eyes for once showing traces of happy and hope as she gazed upon her loved one; thinking that he had finally woken up. But to her shattering dismay, Silver was still the same. His eyes were still closed. His body didn't give a single flinch. He was still motionlessly unconscious.

"Kotone…" That voice echoed again, and this time, she knew who it _really_ belonged to.

And truth be told, Kotone horribly wished it was his voice.

A frown curved White's lips. "Kotone, he will be awake. Just…don't torture yourself like this." She waited for her response, but Kotone gave naught. The younger cousin heard her perfectly. She just didn't want to react. Finally, a single shake of her head was all Kotone could muster.

"Kotone…" White groaned again. Her body was dressed in simple black pants and shirt. Her hair flowed down her shoulder, letting the unstrapped locks cover half her neck and upper breast. Both her wrists were wrapped in white. And a single bandage was plastered on her cheek, reaching almost below her eye. Knowing Kotone wouldn't cooperate for a few good minutes, she took a few steps closer. A hand was placed on Kotone's shoulder, lightly squeezing it. "Seriously. Not only me, but your Pokémon are worried as hell for you. For both of you."

A soft whimper exhaled through Kotone's dry mouth. "He's not awake." Her crestfallen eyes stared at the frozen man. "Why won't he wake up…"

"Kotone, the doctor says that it's just a small coma-"

"_Small coma?!_" Kotone snapped as she stomped to her feet, pushed her chair away, and faced her startled cousin. "If this is a small coma, then why isn't he awake yet? WHY?!" she yelled as if was in a manic trance. Her eyes were round like plates. Crazy was written all over the woman's face. "Then answer me, White. If it's an Arceus-damn small coma, then why – _WHY_ – is he still in bed? Why is he still strapped to all these machines like he's an experiment? Why won't he open his eyes? Why won't he wake up and say my name or call me 'weak' or even scream at me for worrying too much?! WHY?!" Tears strummed down her sullen face. Kotone tugged her greasy hair, fingers violently tangling her curls.

White retreated a few steps backwards. Her hands were raised in a form of defeat and defend, yet mouth parted as intention to calm Kotone down.

But she didn't even have time to squeak as Kotone continued to explode. "No! It's not a fucking damn small coma! No matter how you put it, he is still in a _coma!_ He could wake up a few hours later. He could wake up tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next week. Or the next month!" Her cries became crazed laughter as she spoke. Kotone covered her eyes, teeth grinding each other that it could break her jaw. "OR EVEN NEVER-"

"KOTONE!"

Unable to bear to see her pain anymore, White silenced Kotone with a pull of a hug. She wrapped her arms around the petite woman's head. Eyes shut, she placed her chin on the brown locks. She could feel Kotone's body tremble crazily, and she herself could feel the tears dripping down her cheeks. "Just… Please calm down…"

Kotone had stopped talking, but her cries didn't pause, not for one second. She cried and cried, tears soaking her black shirt. "W-hy…" She sobbed pitifully, though was enough to reach White's ears. "Just…w-wake…up…"

White didn't answer her. She took one long breath and exhaled it bitterly. Her aqua eyes were set on the sleeping patient.

If only there's a way she could help. If only she had the power to heal his wound. If only she could manage to magically remove the pain in the woman's heart. If only they switched places, just so Kotone wouldn't endure this tragic and torturous suffering. Anything. Everything. Just so he could wake up and make Kotone happy again.

But just like years back, she could do nothing but watch as the ones she loved disappeared in a blink of an eye from her life.

A heart broke, and this time it wasn't from Kotone.

"Look…" White sighed again, breaking the hug. She held her shoulders, holding the petite one from falling over. "I know the situation is really grim right now," She lowered her body until she met Kotone's dejected face, "but that doesn't mean you can lose hope. Okay? Sure right now he's…in that state. But at least we all know one thing." Gripping her chin, White tilted her head up to meet her hazel irises. It was soaked with tears. All strands of joy and usual childish demeanour were stripped off her, showing nothing but hopelessness and desperation.

A memory served, and it sent White into past despair herself.

But being the strongest, she shut her eyes and mentally shook it off. Kotone merely stared, mind empty even to ask about White's odd change in behaviour. Opening her aqua eyes, White flashed a motherly smile and assured, "He is still alive."

A shock was felt through Kotone's bones. A gulp slid down her dry throat.

Alive. He was still alive and breathing; still existing in this mortal world. Truth be told, that thought alone gave her a mixed sense of relief and unwanted grief. She looked away, eyes gloomily down on the ground. The clock ticked again, and she gave a low sigh. "I…" She mouthed, barely a feeble squeak. Kotone cast a short glance at the man behind her. His eyes were still shut. His lips were still masked.

Nothing had changed.

And that nothing was scaring her to death. "Okay…"

A part of White was glad she finally cooperated. "Good," she breathed in relief, unaware of the hollow pain in her empty hazel eyes. The taller woman softly ruffled Kotone's hair, but her head was still downcast in hidden sorrow. "Now, can you do me a favour?" White asked in a soft tone, careful not to shatter her again. Kotone gave a lazy shrug, feeling unmotivated to move even further.

But her head then snapped up when White said, "Please go take a shower and eat something. You literally stink and you haven't eaten in days."

Kotone gawked at White like she had told a cruel joke. Mouth parted, she quickly shook her head in denial. "No." She spat coldly, feet slowly scooting backwards towards Silver's bed. "I'm not leaving-"

"Kotone," White cut her once yet again; voice sterner and sharper than before. "_Please_ listen to me. You can barely stand up straight and you look like a wreck." She clasped her hands together in a form of a beg. "Please, please, please do me this one small favour and take care of yourself."

To her frustrating dismay, Kotone responded with another quick shake of her head. "I don't want to…" She denied and denied, lips forming a low scowl. "I am not leaving Silver. I've left him long enough and I am not planning to leave him again!"

"And what happens when he wakes up and sees you like this? Do you think Silver would want to see his girlfriend look like total hell?!" The Unova Champion was losing her patience. Her loud voice startled Kotone, melting down her ego and stubbornness.

White shut her mouth, quickly regretting her short temper. Sighing slowly, she brought her hand to her temple and slowly massaged it. "I'm sorry…" she apologized, eyes fluttering slow little winks. White looked at Kotone, who gave nothing but a glum expression. But the more she stared at her, the more she realized the drastic changes in the petite woman's body. Her legs were shaking to the core; dotted in dirt and soot from days before. Her arms were bony. Her cheeks were frail yet flushed. Little red lines were seen on the pale cheeks, marking as reminders of the horrendous day. The woman was even breathing through her mouth; having a hard time to breathe.

White then realized Kotone wasn't just losing herself, but also her health.

Knowing that she was caught red-handed, Kotone covered her mouth with her cold hand, unsteady fingers twitching and trembling at the touch of her chapped lips. She looked away, feet slowly sliding backwards.

But her lack of health caused her to stumble slightly.

"Kotone…" White sighed ruefully. She was pushing herself to her limit. She was forcing herself to move until she couldn't stretch a muscle. She was punishing herself; thinking that his brutal aftermath was all her fault.

And it murdered White to even think that Kotone would hold such grim thoughts.

"Just…Please…" White begged once again, feeling forlorn to see her in such a traumatizing state. "At least have a little bite at something. As much as you care for him, you need to care for you too. You're really killing yourself here." Her voice may be slow, but Kotone heard every word of it. "Please. For the last time, stop… Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. It's never your fault-"

"I should have listened to you." Kotone broke her silence, surprising White. Hands falling to her side, she gave a long, agonizing exhale. "I should have listened to you and made a move the next day. If I did listen to you…If we did move the next day besides me rushing off like a fool…" Whimpering, she cupped her face and sobbed shamefully. All the thoughts and memories served her mind like a malicious movie. All of it banged her brain like sharp silver bullets. Those four days she stayed in the ward. Those four exact days were also the days she wished she could turn back time, just so she could prevent this accident from happening.

But no. Instead, those four days were the proof of her wrongdoing. And all she could ever do now is lament and pray for a miracle.

Hands still hiding her sullen face, her teeth sunk in her lower lip, drawing little flecks of blood from the thin skin; hoping that the tiny pain could surpass the dreadful agony in her heart. "If I wasn't so stupid…I'm so stupid-"

"Enough! Please!" She was silenced as she felt White's tight grip on her shoulders. The woman looked down, scared and engulfed in guilt to face her scowling cousin. "Please. For Arceus sake! It's not – never¬ – your fault! It was Team Rocket's! Even if you did follow us the next day, we wouldn't know if we could avoid this event or not!" White bent down a bit, trying to meet her gaze. "Please, for the last time. I'm begging you as your family here. Stop blaming yourself…"

Kotone didn't remove her hands away, but White could see tears streaming down the woman's cheeks. A frown both formed on their faces. A snivel echoed from inside her shaking palms.

With a purse of her lips, White slowly whispered, "And it's not ever Mewtwo's fault either…"

The name of the infamous legendary whirred into Kotone's ears, making her shot her head up. It startled White, seeing that her cousin was starting to give sudden and alarming reactions. "Mewtwo," She heard Kotone said, "Mewtwo. Is he back yet? Please tell me he's outside. Where is-"

Once again, the last bits of her heart shattered when White interrupted, "No. He's still missing…"

White could literally see grief sadistically ravish her hazel eyes. "Oh…"

Both ladies remained quiet. Right after the explosion happened, out of guilt, Mewtwo disappeared without a trace. All of Kotone's Pokémon looked and searched for him in the past few days. Even Reshiram and Zekrom helped them by tracing the genetic Pokémon's aura. But all was at naught for Mewtwo remained unfound.

White knew, even though Kotone worried deeply for Silver, she was also silently missing the mysterious legendary.

She breathed a deep sigh. "Come on. Standing here isn't going to help. If you truly love him. If you truly love all of us, you take care of yourself first."

The shorter brunette sighed as well, finally giving in. "Fine…" She turned her head to face Silver. He was still dead silent, breathing as its only proof of living. Her eyes narrowed in hidden pain. But once Kotone faced White, she gave one of a hesitant look. "I guess I'll eat and bathe in five minutes-"

"Half an hour."

Her hazel eyes were now round and finally brimming with emotion; shock. "What? No! Ten minutes-"

"15 minutes and that's final." White's voice was as stern as a big sister should be. To her, Kotone was like her little sister. Other than Cheren and Bianca, she cared deeply for Kotone as if they were born from the same mother. So it was natural for her to think like one of a biological sibling. "Please, Kotone. Besides, Silver's Pokémon would love to have some alone time with their trainer too."

It took Kotone a few waking minutes to give a – slightly – positive response. "Fine…" She slumped her shoulders in defeat. White gave a wide smile, but her smile slowly formed a straight confused line as Kotone walked towards the bed.

Her heart missed a beat as she saw Kotone leaned closer to Silver, ran her hand on his red hair, gently placed a soft kiss on his cheek, and softly murmured, "I'll be right back, okay Skitty. I love you…"

Oh how her heart dropped to her stomach to hear the sincerity in Kotone's tone. It was the tone of love. It was the tone of honesty.

It was the tone of hope.

Her eyes watered, but White quickly held them in. Just as Kotone turned around, White forced a strong smile and urged, "Come on."

* * *

N sat on a chair, eyes blankly staring at the mug in his hands. The hot cocoa warmed his palms, giving him a quiet sense of calmness from all the frantic chaos. His emerald eyes set straight on the chocolate liquid. Its little faint fogs wheezed from the mug, inserting and inviting through his nostrils as mouth-watering temptation. But his mind had wandered quite far. Far enough that the scent alone wouldn't trigger his mind nor appetite.

But the sight of White allowed him to come back to reality.

A smile slowly crept up his lips. But the woman didn't return it, instead plopping her bum down next to N and groaning in fatigue. "You got her out?" N asked in a soft tone, careful not to disturb the people in the hospital. White answered with a slow nod, added with another jaded groan.

"She's with her Pokémon and Lillil for now. I knew persuading her to get out of that room would be hard." She opened her eyes, looking sullen and glum. The memory of a few minutes ago stuck in her mind like glue, reminding her of the pain and torture her cousin had shown. "But I didn't know it would be that hard." Fingers rubbing her temple, White leaned her head on N's shoulder and shut her eyes. Her heart ached to feel the emotion she vowed never to feel again: regret.

But the image of her lost one only strengthened that one tiny ounce of feeling, making her falter a frail sob. But that sniffle was kept deep inside her breath, forcing it to stay in her so that N wouldn't hear it.

Because if he did, it will then trigger an emotion that she swore him never to feel again: guilt.

And just her luck, their heavy moment was fortunately disturbed as they saw Typhlosion, Zoroark, and White's other Pokémon – minus Reshiram who was waiting near a window behind them – heading their way. "Friends," N softly called out to them, a little smile twitching his lips, "How was the search?"

Unfortunately, their disappointed expressions were answers enough. 'Still unfound. We looked everywhere and it's just the same.' Zoroark breathed an upsetting sigh. 'Zekrom and Reshiram even took one whole spin around Johto and still no Mewtwo.'

White's and N's faces posed the same expression as the Pokémon. Sitting up straight, White let out a frustrated groan and hid her face in her palms. "This is bad… Kotone really misses Mewtwo. And unless we find him or Silver wakes up, she isn't getting any better…" Her head shook as she mourned. She saw how Kotone was back in the room: utterly destroyed. Never had she seen such lost hope in the once perky brunette before. The more White thought about it, the more her body began to tense in distress. "Damn it, damn it, damn-"

"White…" Worry washed over N to see White spatting in vain. A hand squeezed her shoulder, trying to ease off the tension that constricted her body.

'Actually, there is one place we haven't searched yet…'

Typhlosion's growling took everybody's attention, even White who didn't speak Pokémon. "What?" She asked dumbly, head rose to meet the volcano's gaze.

"Where?" N asked without haste, leaving the brunette unanswered. All eyes were on the fire starter. Typhlosion gave a small frown as he stood on his hind legs. His paw scratched the back of his head, eyes looking away and feeling quite uncomfortable at the intent stares. 'Well, though it's half true we've looked everywhere. But actually there is only one place we haven't been yet. A place that's quite masked by rumours and is very off-limits to untrained trainers and Pokémon.'

His fingers tightly gripped the warm mug as Typhlosion explained. A single eyebrow rose, getting more and more interested, hoping that this mysterious place was the exact location to find the legendary. "Please tell me where it is?"

"Please tell me what he is talking about!" White was getting irritated at the fact that she was the only person who was lost in translation.

Luckily, Reshiram aided to his hero's agitation and mentally translated it for her.

"You know where he is?" White gasped in both shock and relief. Her attention was full well on the fire breather. Both N and White stared at Typhlosion, their hearts and minds yearning for the obvious answer.

Typhlosion only sparked their hopeful assurance by giving a single nod. 'It is called Cerulean Cave. It's located near Cerulean City, but also hidden deep in some damn clouds. First time me and Kotone got there, it was basically foggy and dark and filled with water.' A disgusted grunt escaped his mouth, reminiscing on the dreadful day they found the place.

Right after he finished his sentence and Reshiram finished translating it for White, both humans quickly stood up and shouted, "I'll go then! Wait what?" N gawked at White while she gaped at him. The Pokémon stared in disbelief and shock at the sudden resolve their trainers had made. N faced the short woman, emerald eyes still wide to know that both had the same thought. A few sleeping minutes later, a shake of the head was given from the greenette. "White, no. I don't-"

"N," She interrupted, hands raised to level her face. "I think it's best that I go. I'll find Mewtwo and bring him back." White stared at N as she insisted. Though said, the man only gave a small frown and another disapproving shake of the head. With eyebrows furrowed together, she persisted, "N seriously-"

"White," N stopped her, "Please. I do not wish to taint your high confidence, but you are in no condition at all to commence in a harmless battle, let alone allow yourself inside a hazardous and savage area."

Even though he really didn't mean to backlash her, White still took it as an offence. "Hey!" She spat, voice steady to not disturb the patients around them. "Are you saying I can't handle this?" Her teeth ground furiously against one another as the brunette glared at the man she loved.

Her heartbeat quickened the pace as N sighed, "I did not say that."

"Well you meant that!"

"White," He shushed her again, eyes looking straight into her aquas. White froze to see the expression he bore on his face: pure worry. His emerald eyes were narrowed into a sullen gleam. His lips posed a low frown, the edges twitching as if he was holding back a sob. His cheeks were slightly pale. Lines of concern scarred below his eyes. "Just…listen to me…" he begged slightly, causing the woman to gulp a silence. N released another faint sigh, his head pounding on the headache coming its way.

Silently putting the mug on the chair, he stood up straight and stared at White. His tired eyes moved to her hands. Both wrists were wrapped in white. Both were bandaged neatly, openly reminding him of the pain she had encountered. He then looked at her face. A small bandage was slapped on her right cheek. A gulp slipped down his throat, feeling the sore pain of it sliding right into his stomach. Every time he looked at her, N had to force himself not to remind him of the death and deceit they once faced. He had to remind himself that it wasn't his fault – something that White had to assure him when he was in utter doubt.

But now, the situation given was almost the same as theirs. And it was hard for N not to forget the past.

He held her hands, thumbs lightly caressing her palms. "Please. Let me do this…" He murmured, voice hinted with desperation and plead. "It's not that I question your strength and abilities. Trust me I believe in them solely. It's just…" N took one breath, and released it slowly. "Let me talk to Mewtwo. And by talk, I mean literally talk to him. I can speak Pokémon, remember? I think it'll be easier for me to persuade him."

Her eyes widened in shock and realization. With an embarrassed scoff, White looked down. "But still-"

"Also," He softly ruffled her brown locks. "Kotone needs you now. At times like this, she needs family by her side." He looked as White bit her lower lip, hinting of her defeat. This somehow managed a small smile from the greenette. As his hand moved to the side of her face, he felt a small shudder and the warmness of her cheek.

This actually made his smile grew wider.

"And another thing," Fingers finally reaching to her chin, N slowly tilted her head to face him. "I can't bear to see you hurt or lose you anymore…"

Her heart lost a beat. Her breathing caught in between. White froze to see the longing gaze in his eyes. She saw that expression once, and it made her world stop. Worry. Honesty. Hope. Fear. Love. All shined in his eyes like mesmerizing green crystals. She saw the lost child that needed guidance. She saw the broken man that needed repaired.

She saw N, the person she vowed to make him happy.

After minutes of pondering and mentally debating, a heavy, hesitant sigh was given. "Fine then…" Eyes averting down, she gripped his hand that held her chin.

His smile was still shown, instead toned down in a rather relief line. "Thank you." Without another word, N pulled her into his arms, baffling the petite Champion. He rested his chin on her head, mind off to possible incomes of his search for Mewtwo. "I'll be back before sundown. I promise."

"You better." White muttered meekly, trying to come off as a failure of an order. Her hands and head rested on his chest, hearing and feeling the smooth sound of his heartbeat. "If you're not back by then, I'm coming after you I swear." Her red cheeks puffed as N gave a dry chuckle.

"Yes my dear White." N pulled her away, hands now holding her shoulders. "I promise to bring him back. Don't you fret." He gave her a small peck on her forehead. White shut her eyes and brought her hands to her frantic heartbeat, mind silently cursing at her inability to function well every time N got sweet with her.

N then looked at Typhlosion. The Pokémon flashed sneaky grins, given the situation they were put into. Realizing that they had made a small fluffy little show, a now fully flustered White turned around and grumbled sourly while N scratched the back of his head in abash. "I'm sorry. Um…If you may, would you kindly show us the way of Cerulean Cave?" He asked Typhlosion, feeling ready and slightly eager to find the legendary.

But his eagerness was cut short once the fire starter shook his head. 'I'm sorry. I don't want to leave Kotone…'

N posed a childish frown. "But I need guidance to the area. If you are unavailable, then who-"

The human was silenced as Typhlosion added, 'But I know a Pokémon who can help you. Heck, she even loves that place considering it's drowned with damn water.'


	25. 24

"Oh wow…" N was thrown in awe as he gazed upon the beauty inside Cerulean Cave. The stone walls shined as hidden crystal were engraved in them. Pokémon like Goldeens, Gravelers, and Zubats invaded their habitat, happily minding their own businesses. He turned left, only to see some Geodudes rolling around in dirt, probably playing around. The grown man had changed into an excited child once he stepped inside the hidden cavern. Before he entered, N had slight doubt since Typhlosion told him of the dangers and threats. But once he did saw the beauty in front of him, the greenette actually thought that maybe the volcano Pokémon was just joshing him.

'Ahem.' A small growling took N's attention, snapping him from his stunned admiration. He stared forward, seeing Kotone's Gyarados happily and patiently waiting for him by the water. N gave a bashful chuckle, embarrassed that he would be absorbed in his wonder while there was an important mission at stake. Giving the place one last glance, he walked towards the atrocious Pokémon with a triumphant puff. "Lead the way, milady."

* * *

'Here we are: the deepest part of the cave.' Gyarados spoke as they arrived at the destination. After almost two hours of harsh waterfall climbing, intense waves, and constant disturbance from rather savage wild Pokémon, they finally reached the heart of the cavern. N and Zoroark hopped off the giant Pokémon's back. Their bodies were slightly soaked from the wash of the water. Zoroark stretched his body, feeling numb from all the quick movements he did in order to prevent the wild Pokémon from attacking N and Gyarados.

N looked around him. Compared to when he entered the cave, this particular section was absent from any Pokémon. It was barren and empty, deserted for some sort. There were only boulders and cracked rocky walls. The secluded fragment seemed darker than its usual lighting as well. He turned around and stared at Gyarados. Knowing what the human was thinking, she gave a small confirming nod. N looked forward. Suddenly, his eyes set on a single entrance that occupied the void place.

Judging by Zoroark's sudden threat of a growl, N knew he had finally found him.

He looked at the illusion fox Pokémon. Zoroark's body was crouched down. His claws were sharpened and shown. His lips were pulled back to a low snarl, white fangs gleaming in his gaze. "He's here," N muttered to himself, head once again facing the huge hole. With eyes shut and mouth exhaling a long breath, he began walking towards it.

After two steps, Zoroark quickly zoomed in front of him.

His footing almost stumbled to see his childhood friend blocking his way. Emerald eyes widened in shock, never expecting such a reaction from the Pokémon. "Eh?" N gaped, quite confused as to why his childhood friend was blocking his path. The illusion fox Pokémon posed a poker face, sharp eyes staring at N. Raising a finger, N asked, "Is everything okay, Zoroark?"

Without a peep, Zoroark calmly nodded.

Seeing his friend's answer, N returned the smile. "Very well then. Best be on my way." He moved to the left, heart and mind ready to face the infamous legendary. As one foot inched forward, all the words were slowly aligned inside N's brain. _Calm down,_ N, he thought, _You will succeed in this. You have met many kinds of Pokémon before. Some even bigger than what you will face now. You will bring Mewtwo back to Kotone. You will ease the legendary's heart and remove him from his guilt and-_

His eager mind popped like a bubble once Zoroark blocked N.

This time, shock was seen in the man's eyes. "Zoroark, what is the matter?" Like before, the Pokémon didn't utter a word. Zoroark shrugged lazily, mouth forming a straight line.

Agitation bit the man's skin. Huffing lightly, N moved to the right.

And just as he hunched, Zoroark blocked his path for the third time.

He moved left. The illusion fox Pokémon moved right.

Left. Right.

Left. Right.

Right. Left.

"Zoroark…!" N scoffed in annoyance, half-clenched hands rose in front of his face and left eye twitching slightly. He glared at his friend, who – much to his surprise – let out a bored yawn. "As amusing as this is for you, I do not have time for your childish tomfoolery. Please let me through."

His mouth hanged low once Zoroark blatantly replied, 'Nahh.'

"'Nahh'?" Emerald eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. "What do you mean 'Nahh'?"

'It means no-'

"I am highly aware what 'Nahh' means!" Though unintentional, N's voice boomed inside the dim dark cave. Gyarados watched from a distance, half amused and half confused at the situation. "What I meant was why are you preventing me from meeting Mewtwo?"

Zoroark lightly tapped his chin while N gawked at his oddly lax behaviour. 'Well, for starters, it's because I don't want you to see him.' He swore N's eyeballs were about to sprung out any second.

"…What?" N shook his head in disbelief, hands unwarily doing 'jazz hands'. "Zoroark, how can you make such a resolution given our circumstances? We are here to reunite Mewtwo with Kotone. And in order to accomplish that, I need to actually _meet_ him and convince him-"

'That's where my 'Nahh' comes in.' Zoroark growled bitterly, 'I know he is tame and all to Kotone. But after all the incident that had gone down, I know well that he is highly dangerous to be around with.'

N was at lost for words. Never had he thought about Mewtwo's deadly background. Ever since he reached the area, all N focused on was to bring the legendary back. To be honest, safety was neatly tucked at the back of his brain.

'So if you want to actually meet face-to-face with Mewtwo in this deep, dark, unstable-' The last word was hissed with emphasis, '-cave, chances for you are empty and stale just like the cakes you baked.'

"Hey!" N unwarily shouted once again, sounding hurt at the bitter truth. His frown only widened and his cheeks grew rosier when the sound of Gyarados' giggles echoed in his ears. "Leave my perfect baking skills out of this conversation. Now if you are done taunting me, let me proceed." He didn't want to push his friend, so N took a shot and moved to the left.

Just as he frustratingly expected, Zoroark blocked his path.

"Zoroark…" The greenette tried to keep his cool. Feeling a headache coming in, he shut his eyes and massaged his forehead. His left fingers gently squeezed the light skin in hopes that it would remove the stress out of him. "For the love of Arceus, it will only be a minute-"

'Not gonna happen.'

"Do you not trust me?!" His limits pushed, N scowled at his friend. Half-clenched fists were back up in the air. His shining emerald eyes were wide and twitching in vain. His teeth were seen gritted together as his lips were pulled back to a snarl.

But before he could throw a hissy fit, Zoroark answered, 'I trust you. You know I do.' The tone in his voice became mellow once he added, 'It's Mewtwo I don't trust.' A tiny frown of concern curved his mouth. He stared at the stunned N. His ears drooped backwards. The second Zoroark reached inside the hidden lair, an intensifying, intimidating aura slammed his senses like a stack of bricks. A low wolfy whimper was heard, strengthening his increasing worry. 'And I'm really, _really_, scared if anything were to happen to you…'

N stood in his place, shocked and unable to provide any response at the sudden confession. He saw fear in his eyes. He heard terror in his little tremor. The sight reminded N of what he and Zoroark had gone through since young. Everything they faced, they faced it together. From all the past experiences and struggles that went in their way, all of them taught the males on how to be more cautious and wary in their surroundings.

From the time N received a harmless cut from a tree branch.

To the time he received a gruesome slice from a maniacal man.

His mind stopped. His heart skipped. His world froze. At that moment, N soon realized: events like that silently scarred Zoroark to a point where he feared he would lose his brother. Forever.

He looked at Zoroark. The illusion fox Pokémon waited for a response. His furry muzzle was still in a form of a worried frown.

But N's mouth was in a shape of an assuring smile.

He gently patted Zoroark's head, earning quite a surprise from the Pokémon. Zoroark looked at N, a single eyebrow raised in confusion. "I trust Mewtwo." N calmly spoke, "And for us to bring all of this back to normal, I need you to trust him as well…"

His bright blue eyes widened as the human made such a statement. Looking down, he blinked and pondered for a while. His nose scrunched; his own way of telling he was still in hesitation.

"How about this to ease your mind?" N lightly clapped once. "Zekrom is staying near me when I meet Mewtwo. If anything unpleasant happens – and I assure you there won't be – Zekrom will merge right out of his ball and protect me." He tapped the ball on his belt. A smile was stretched on his face, hoping to convince his overprotective friend.

And thankfully, it did. 'Fine then.' Though eyes still shadowing slight hesitation, Zoroark finally gave way. 'But I am staying near that entrance. If I sense anything fishy, I am barging in with claws and fangs ready I kid you not.'

He sounded serious, but N couldn't help but laugh in amusement. Fingers lightly scratching the back of Zoroark's right ear, he happily replied, "I believe in your tenacity, Brother."

* * *

Silence could unfold many emotions that mankind tend to eternally conceal till their deaths.

Clear happiness. Pure love. Untold honesty. Sacred loyalty. Tainted betrayal. Blind fury. Broken sorrow. Deep grief.

Eternal regret.

Silence could help one redeem its peace. But at the same time, silence could also ruin oneself, becoming a clear bloody reminder of what one had savagely done.

His eyes remained shut. His breathing remained even. His heartbeat gave steady rhythms. His knuckles never twitched. His mouth never flinched. For how long he had been in that stoic state, one would never know.

Even so, no matter how statuesque he was, that same shattered feeling wouldn't go away. It stayed in his heart and mind, implanted in all parts of his nerves like a vital virus. That broken emotion bugged him ever since the explosion. That scar still lingered in his veins; even worse, brutally slicing his old wounds open. The wounds that he swore never to remember again.

_Ba-dump!_

His left eye – though shut – gave the faintest twitch.

There it was again. The heartbreak. The feeling of one's hopes shamefully rising in vain. The prayer of a fool. A dead man's dream. The feeling that you were hoping so much, knowing so well you would only be rewarded with pain and suffering.

That feeling was once again conquering his body and soul.

_Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!_

His breathing hitched slightly. He inhaled, then stopped.

_"Mewtwo…"_

His heart churned. A hiss given as visions clouded his disoriented mind. _N-no…_ He tried to fight; tried to ignore the past that he swore never to go back.

_"Mewtwo, please…It's me…"_

His blood pulsed. Breathing still caught in between, Mewtwo shook away the voice that became proof of his demise.

_"Mewtwo…It's okay. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere…"_

_I said no…_ Both eyes jerked slightly. His mouth trembled as he held back a scream. Faint violet coats of aura swirled around him like clouds, darkening as his mind forced to forget.

_"Mewtwo, you're going to be fine."_

But no matter how badly he pushed it away, the thoughts would always haunt him like the glorious sound of Death.

_"GIOVANNI NO-"_

I said STOP!

The dark vicious aura sparked wildly, jabbing and stabbing the rocky walls and ceilings. His mind screamed to a halt, shutting his own words down. Purple – seemingly harmless – sparks excluded from his body. Slowly Mewtwo opened his eyes, looking down at his bare feet. His heart reached an even beat – for now. But the voice of the fallen still haunted him, making him cringe in guilt and remorse.

A minute passed, and his body had dispelled all jolts.

Silence could unfold many hidden emotions. Emotions that, for some, were intended to stay hidden until the end of time.

'You have come to bring me back.'

N stopped in his heels. He knew Mewtwo would sense his arrival, yet an unfamiliar wave of awe still tapped into his mind. He stood a few feet away, feeling a thin amount of cautiousness since Mewtwo had shown him his little show of fireworks. "I assume that, even when you have let me found you, you will still need assurance."

Curiosity tweaked Mewtwo's mind, distracting him from his quiet concentration. Mouth exhaling light air, he coldly asked, 'Let you found me?'

He heard a small, somewhat amused chuckle. "I figured that you have detected me ever since I reached the premises. If you didn't want to be found, you could have easily teleported away in a blink of an eye."

A glint of what could be stated as amazement was shown in Mewtwo's purple eyes. He turned around, facing the patient human being. His posture was strong and proud, as so was N's. Mewtwo sensed a calming aura around him, preferably coming from the greenette himself. 'I must say, I am impressed. Not only do you, a human, speak the tongue of Pokémon, but you also have a knack for such precise conclusions, child of Harmonia.'

The sound of his last name gave N a silent shiver. Never did he tell the Pokémon his full name. But given that Mewtwo was a psychic-type, it wasn't much of a shocker. However stunned he may be, the man easily masked his true expression, only giving a modest shrug. A bashful smile flashed his face. "It was just a wild guess." One foot scooting forward, N took one sharp breath and looked at Mewtwo in the eyes. "Though I may unfortunately know the answer to my expectations, but you need to come back to us."

Silence was his answer. Denial could be seen in his deep blank purple irises.

N's smile receded, but a small dash of hope lingered on the edges of his lips. "I suspected as much."

Mewtwo looked back to the ground. His eyes fell to a sullen glow. 'Tell me, human. Why should I go back when all I had done was brought terror and malice?'

Emerald eyes widened in shock at such a question. He opened his mouth, only to left it open and wordless. Advices he had practiced in his mind were now nothing but useless scrambles of words. Though face was down, N knew sorrow was stabbing the Pokémon's body. "Mewtwo, please bear in mind that all you had done these past few days were by the likes of Team Rocket. You had no idea what you were doing back then."

'And what if I did know?' Mewtwo's question took N off guard. 'What if I tell you, I did know what I was doing back then? Being under a mind spell from an old nemesis? Being able to control a pure mind that was intended to safe me from my demise?' Kotone's face flashed in his eyes, making his teeth bore a tight clench. 'What will you do if I tell you, I know exactly what I was doing, and I became powerless as I sat there in defeat and watch my inner demon destroys everything in its path?'

As if N wasn't able to answer the previous dilemma, Mewtwo added more to his dizziness. He remained quiet, eyes carefully focusing as Mewtwo began to vent out.

'It seems that you are wrong, human. As I hid here in this cold land of death, memories of my faults kept haunting me in my awaken dreams.' Mewtwo glanced at his hands, fingers clenched together in his palms. 'I've committed a bloody sin, one that taints these hands to this very day. Even if you say I was drunk in hypnotism, I merely observe it as – as you humans depict – sleepwalking.' Hands clenched tighter, he spat a low, disgusted hiss meant for himself. 'I was useless; standing there like a fool and watching as the world shatters in my grasps. I have the power to wreck everything in my path. What's deem as wrong, I see right. What's proof of right, I conclude as wrong.'

A faint smog of purple swirled around his feet, lightly caressing up to his knees. 'I am nothing but a mere creation; a mindless puppet controlled by a ruthless puppeteer. I've done horrible things; unforgivable sins that can never be erased.' It touched his stomach, encircling Mewtwo like thick poisonous smoke.

_Sir N_, Zekrom's voice reached N's mind, warning him of the incoming situation. But before the deep black Pokémon could even think about barging out, N calmly patted his ball.

'I have hurt many. I have harmed most.' His voice filled with hatred. His teeth clenched so hard his jaw could bear a crack. Shaken fists lightly on his shut eyes, Mewtwo spat, 'But what I can never forgive myself is killing the one that had faith in me… The only person that sees me…as a friend…'

The aura had already encircled him. Though covered, N could still see Mewtwo, bending his head down and lamenting in guilt. Zekrom had begun to shake vigorously on his belt. Tremors, one too harmless yet still counted as dangerous, shook in the little cavern, sending pebbles and rocks jumping on the ground.

"Zorrr…"

The sound echoed out of the blue, breaking Mewtwo from his mourns. The violet aura disappeared in a blink. Quickly he opened his eyes, only to see a Zoroark standing near the entrance. He saw his white fangs, sharply wide and open as the illusion fox snarled. Slowly, Mewtwo glanced from him to N. He saw Zekrom slowly shaking in his ball. A sense of defence lingered in the air, emanating from the little ball.

His eyes switched from Zekrom to Zoroark, and Zoroark to Zekrom. As he gazed upon the two, a small mix of amusement and envy dipped into his mind. Amused on how much N's Pokémon were willing to do anything to protect their beloved human – even if it meant sacrificing themselves to fatal danger.

Envy that Mewtwo himself couldn't do the same. No matter how hard he tried, how badly he wanted it to avoid, in the end, only pain was given to his beloved human.

How could he ever protect her when _he_ was the danger?

A sinister, ridiculing smirk flashed his face – one that was targeted for him. 'How I envy your life. Surrounded by bliss and love. Never to have suffered from past faults.' Mewtwo turned around, having his back face the man. Slow calm breaths inhaled and exhaled from his nose. Thankfully, he had calmed down before things got any uglier. Silence once again thickened the area. Movements were steady. Heartbeats were even.

Finally, a chuckle echoed inside the grim cave. Slightly surprised that an amusing sound could even be emitted from the man's mouth - considering what he had just said - Mewtwo turned to face the greenette. An eyebrow was raised, silently asking as to what and why N – who finally broke his silence – was finding his guilt so entertaining.

"Envious, you say?" Oh how N wanted to laugh out loud at such a confession.

"You said I do not understand what it's like to commit a sinful crime," N carefully said, eyes down on the rocky ground. His chuckle subsided. His smile was slowly forming a broken line. "But actually, believe it or not, I do know that feeling. The feeling of unwarily committing a sin. The feeling of being controlled like a puppet. The feeling of being blinded by evil, only to misjudge it as justice." He looked at his palms. Fingers trembled. Breathing ragged. "The feeling of you thinking that all you did was right, when all this time, it was downright wrong and misleading."

Eyes shut. Fists formed. Breathing uneven. "The feeling of making a true friend, but was tricked by a fool until you yourself accidentally thought that that friend was an enemy. The feeling of being so unsure, that you seem to have lost yourself. The feeling of pushing everyone away, thinking that you only cause burden and suffering. The feeling of..." N stopped halfway, his heartbeat rapidly speeding inside his chest. He released a low gasp, as if trying to release the pressure and pain that he had kept for so long. "The feeling of you thinking that you had actually murdered someone, or at the very least lead them to their unwanted deaths..."

A memory blinked. Breathing halted.

Mewtwo, now fully facing the human, eyed N in full suspicion, shock, and curiosity. The emotion N showed was one that Mewtwo had never seen before: empathy. He felt N's empathy flowing in his mind, proving him of his truth in his words. The genetic Pokémon only stared as N was caught in his own silent regret. This piqued Mewtwo's interest, itching and wanting to know the hidden meaning in N's words.

So with silence, Mewtwo shut his eyes and pried into N's memory.

It took him less than a minute to understand the situation completely.

The legendary immediately opened his eyes, pupils round in shock at what he had witnessed. He saw blood. He saw tears. A vision of a man, who had the face of a psychopath, was laughing hysterically as he gazed upon the fallen. A vision of a hero, controlled by rage and utmost grief, was seen being engulfed by blue flames. But what stunned Mewtwo the most was that one moment; that one single moment in which changed his perspective of all the knowledge he thought he knew. Mewtwo took one long breath, head shaking from the amazing yet frightful vision he had just beheld.

The genetic Pokémon looked forward, eyes on the only human present.

Realizing that Mewtwo was waiting and knowing very well that the Pokémon had seen the dark past he kept hidden for so long, N slowly opened his eyes and looked up.

With tearful eyes narrowed and mouth curving a woeful smile, N brokenly muttered, "I know the feeling of being a warped, defective monster..."

* * *

Patience wasn't one White was easily accustomed to.

Her left foot tapped rapidly, beating sounds of impatience and irritation. Her hand cupped her grumbling mouth, whispering wordless sounds of nothingness. All her Pokémon – minus Reshiram who waited outside – crowded in front of her, eyeing White in concern.

Ever since N left in search for Mewtwo, her heart had been constricted with negativity. She knew the man could handle the mission. She knew she shouldn't burden herself with such thoughts. But how could she? After all they had been through, White couldn't force herself to stop worrying even if she wanted to.

Taps got faster. Huffs got louder.

Hands moving to her face, White groaned slowly. Then suddenly,

"Sarr…"

"Zrrr…"

"Lill…"

"Vrrr…"

"Barrr…"

The sounds of her Pokémon growling broke her silent and worried state. Immediately White looked forward, heart missing a beat to see N and Zoroark.

And most of all, she saw the one they had been looking for.

Mewtwo slowly walked behind the males, head down and arms steadily positioned on his sides. He could feel the glares and stares from them. The amount of anger and the feeling of being highly threatened jabbed his skin like invisible knives. He couldn't blame them though. To him, he deserved it.

White stood up from her chair. Her Pokémon gave way, eyes still sharp on the targeted legendary. She saw as N continued to walk to her, while Mewtwo and Zoroark had already halted in their tracks. A smile curved her lips, almost wide as she was about to flash her teeth. "Thank Arceus you're back-"

Her words were cut in silence as N suddenly pulled her in a tight hug.

His arms wrapped her petite little body like a pair of warm shawls. It moved to the back of her head, tightly but gently locking White in the embrace. N bent his head down, letting his lips touch the brown strands of her hair. His eyes were hidden behind his green locks. His mouth pursed a straight, shaken line. One breath inhaled, letting her scent waft in his nostrils.

She felt his body tremble. She heard his heart rumble. Her head leaned against his beating chest. Aqua eyes were wide in confusion. Slowly White pushed N away; far enough to meet his gaze. It shocked her to see his crystal green eyes, simmering under the light. "N, are you okay?" Her mind clicked in worry, the brunette quickly brought her hands to the sides of his face and pulled him closer. "Are you hurt anywhere? Did any Pokémon bit you in the butt or something? How's your body?"

A light sound – a chuckle – wheezed through his lips. Oh how concerned she was for him. How she was acting like a mother Pokémon aiding to her baby. It both dumfounded and fluttered him to this very day. How a tough, hot-headed lady could change into a nurturing, loving person in seconds – even to a man who had red on his ledger.

He parted his mouth, wanting to calm his beating lady's heart. But before a word could even spurt out, another voice took over the halls. "Stand aside! Get out of my way! Silver needs me!" All heads turned to the sound. There she was, Kotone wildly running towards the room and away from her Pokémon. Her body was clothed in fresh clothes. Her brown hair was wet and dripping. The brunette seemed mad and frantic, hazel eyes shaded in anger.

How could she not be angry? Her cousin promised her 15 minutes of solitude. Instead, she received almost two hours of solitary confinement which consisted of her being forced to eat and bathe. It didn't help that all her Pokémon hatched in together with the plan.

It wasn't their fault, though. Half of her knew the others were worried about her wellbeing.

But the other half was still pissed and felt a bit betrayed by the simple truce.

"I said I'm fine, you guys! Sheesh Arceus dammit let me th-" Her words reached complete silence as her eyes set foot on a particular Pokémon standing a few feet away. Her team ceased chasing her, also stunned to see Mewtwo in the purple flesh.

Silence filled the area in seconds. None said a word. None muttered a peep. Most of the Pokémon's fur were standing upright, alarmed by the legendary's intimidating presence. Unwarily, White squeezed her grip on N's arm, worried if their decision to bring Mewtwo back wasn't a good idea.

Mewtwo stood in silence, never moving. His head was down. His eyes were shut. Fists were clenched madly, fingers lightly digging in his palms.

What would he do? What would he say? The words 'Kotone, I am back please forgive me' or 'Kotone I have come for an apology and never return' would be such a disgrace, considering on all he had done. His mind – for the first time – reached a blank slate. Mewtwo had no idea on how to react. He was an absolute lost on Kotone's reaction. Was she mad? Was she sad? Was happy ever in her domain for him? Was she glad he had returned? Would she ever forgive him for being a raging monster and almost killing the man she loved?

Her mute silence was a grim answer for him.

He choked in between breaths. Mewtwo had reached a terrifying – expected – conclusion: Kotone would never forgive him, and she would never, ever have him back.

_Crack!_

He finally knew and felt the existence of heartbreak. And he wished he never experienced that emotion in the first place.

Before he decided to teleport away for good, Mewtwo exhaled heavily and reached her mind. _Kotone…I'm-_

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

_Plop!_

Mewtwo immediately snapped his eyes wide open. The sounds of tapping and the felt of something – someone – wrapping around him surprised the Pokémon speechless. His arms were raised to the sides. His mouth was agape and low. Mewtwo looked down, only to see Kotone tightly wrapping her arms around his waist and hiding her face on his chest.

"You're back!" Kotone screamed happily, tears quickly forming and trailing down her cheeks. "You're back you're back you're back!" The brunette hopped lightly, as if trying to lift the heavy Pokémon. Even though it was to no avail, Kotone didn't care. All she ever mattered now was that her beloved Pokémon had come back to her. She cried and cried, ignoring the audience around them. Arms linking tighter, Kotone locked Mewtwo in her hug as a way of saying 'Never leave me again.'

All were speechless. All were stunned. But none more than the genetic Pokémon himself. His purple eyes gawked at his trainer as she continued to show bliss and bless. _She…She isn't mad at me…?_ That one question haunted his mind, questioning on whether or not this was a dream. But her touch proved to be far too real. Her joyful squeals pitched in his ears, making sure that what he was experiencing now was mere reality.

Kotone wasn't mad at him at all. Quite the opposite, she was excited to have him back.

And that, truly made him feel alive.

Forgetting all his stoic posterior and silent state, Mewtwo returned the hug. His knees grew weak, resulting with both kneeling on the ground and lost in their hugs. The genetic Pokémon hid his face on her soaked hair. His eyes burned with tears, but he couldn't care less. For the first time in life, he shed a tear – one that was filled with joy and thankfulness. _Thank you, Kotone… Thank you…_

All eyes were on the pair. All breathed a huge sigh of relief. Kotone's Pokémon merely watched their partners. Finally, their hearts could reach peace. Mewtwo was back. Both were happy. Kotone was actually flashing a smile and a laugh. Typhlosion sighed dully. _At least that's taken care of…_

White and N smiled to see the reunion. Her hand held her chest as she breathed a low groan. Slowly, she turned her head to face the tall man beside her. "N?"

Her soothing voice took his attention, making him turn. Emerald and aqua met, glued to each other's mesmerizing sight. He saw questionable concern in her eyes. He saw silent stutters of worry on her lips.

Every time a look like that appeared on her face, it made N realized how thankful he was to have met her.

With a small smile, he gently placed a finger on her lips and slowly murmured, "I love you…"

* * *

The two were the only present ones in the halls. All were away for a while, giving the Pokémon and trainer some time alone. Kotone sat on a chair, beside the door of Silver's room. Her arms were crossed. Her head looked down. Mewtwo stood before her, arms on his sides and eyes looking everywhere except on her.

"It's not our fault, you know." Her voice broke the silence. Mewtwo stared at the brunette, whose eyes were still down on the ground. "I know you're beating yourself up because of this. Please don't. It's never your fault. We both didn't know what hit us." A shiver ran down her spine as memories of before scratched her mind.

His frown widened. His eyes narrowed. _Kotone, please do not defend me. It is pointless to straighten a damp thread. _

"I'm not." She hissed through gritted teeth. Her nails dug in her elbows. "We were both blind. We both had no idea what was going on. It was Team Rocket's fault." Teeth gritted tightly as the evil organization danced in her mind. "Those damn…fricking…fuckers…"

_The explosion of the building_, Mewtwo continued to 'defend' himself. _I exploded the building and almost cost us our lives._

"Only because you lost control for a while when you felt my devastation!" Her voice reached a louder tone than before, though not enough to shake the walls. "If I calmed down at that time, maybe that would have never happened. You reacted like that because I reacted like that because I thought Silver was dea-"

She froze in her words.

Her hands stayed at eye level. Her hazels eyes were wide and round. Her mouth hanged agape, astonished by the words she just slurred without thought. One by one a finger trembled. And tick by tock her shakes got faster.

Mewtwo only watched, unable to do anything to ease her mind and heart. Even he felt the pain; traumatizing and brutal the more he looked at her.

She wasn't blaming him for the falls.

She was blaming her.

His fists clenched tighter as a hiss blew out. _Kotone, there is something…I need to tell you._

She looked at her Pokémon, eyes ever so broken and in grief.

Her crestfallen expression only strengthened his remorse. _I…This…is not the first time I have met Silver…_

A small glint of shock was seen in her pair of hazels. "What do you mean?" She sniffed back her tears. The brunette brought her fists to her chest, trying to calm the beating heart that harmed her soul.

_I mean_, He released another sigh, _I…He is a mere fragment of my past. One that I wish to forget. The reason I disappear is not just because of what I had done to all of you. It is because…of the things I had done in the past._ His tail twitched as he forced himself to remember. _It if wasn't for me, none of this would have ever happened…_

Her focus now slowly on the guilt-stricken legendary, Kotone sat up straight. Her hands rested on her shivering knees. "A mere fragment? Things you had done in the past? If it weren't for…you…?" Her voice was a mere mutter, perplexed by the words that entered her mind. "Mewtwo, what are you talking about?"

Few ticking minutes intruded their space. It made Kotone restless. It made Mewtwo – to her surprise – nervous. "Mewtwo."

Mewtwo kept his silence.

"Mewtwo…" Her voice sounded like chiming, broken bells.

_"Mewtwo…"_ For a brief moment, that voice had become the voice of his old friend.

He quickly looked forward, eyes on the dumbfounded woman. Finally, he released a heavy, hearty groan. _What I'm about to show you, might change your perspective about me._ Opening his eyes, he woefully stared at Kotone. _Before I am about to do this, just remember: You are – and always will be – my friend._

Without another word, he stretched his right arm towards her. A finger touched her forehead. One blink, and his eyes glowed a dim purple glow.

And before Kotone could have time to regain her semi-consciousness, a bright violet light coated around them.

The clock ticked its long arm, and her eyes glowed a dim purple as well.


	26. 25

_Once upon a time, there was a happy family. A man and a woman, ever so loving in the life they built. The man was suave, brimmed with confidence and power. His looks were ever so dashing, able to make the men envious and the women smitten. The man was so dedicated in his studies and work. He never thought about stopping to take a break. He never left his job unfinished. He was respected by many. His ambitions and dreams were awed by all. Love was never in his agenda. All he thought about was work, work, work. A workaholic, one might say. The man chased his dreams to the limit, never pondering a minute about stopping to catch a breath._

_That is, until a certain lady caught his eye._

_They met during a business convention. She was a former ranger, now working in a local farm belonged to her family. A Sneasel, her childhood friend was happily perched on her shoulder. The woman had deep red hair, crimson as rose. It was pulled to a high ponytail, baring her white neck. Her eyes sparkled a milky chocolate shine. She was joyful and talkative, bringing smiles and laughter every time someone talked to her._

_Needless to say his heart was stolen the minute she smiled at him and said, "Hello there. I'm Emery."_

* * *

_Two years passed by blissfully. And those two years were proof enough of them to tie the beautiful knot. The man proposed under the twinkling stars. He still remembered her tears when she gazed in shock. She still remembered his happy yelps and skips around the field when she accepted. A marriage was held – one surprisingly simple yet meaningful. The man wanted it to be grand, for he was so excited to tell the world of his soulmate. But the woman – modest as she was since birth – only wanted a quiet wedding fit for families and close friends._

_Their silly little argument didn't last for five minutes as the man happily accepted her wedding plans._

_All he ever wanted and needed was her._

_And his mirth only increased when their first son was born under the chilly winters of December. With hair bright red as his mother's, the child obtained a pair of mesmerizing, silver eyes. One glance was enough to pull a person into a trance. As the child grew up, he often smiled and laughed like his mother. Many enjoyed his presence. Many loved the child like he was a son of their own._

_Especially to the man's loyal executives._

_"Welcome to the world, Silver."_

* * *

_Time ticked its timeless clock. And each day thickened the man's dreams and perspective. Finally, he sought a new dream; one so great and unbelievable. He had wealth. He reached fame._

_He wanted more._

_"I want people to acknowledge me not just as an entrepreneur, not just as a simple billionaire," Giovanni spoke as his four loyal grunts – even one that was so young at age – stood before him, "but also as a person who completely changed the future into anew."_

_His grunts gave a single nod, mouth never uttering a peep._

_Black jet eyes staring at his organization and lips forming a wide sinister smirk, he sternly declared, "And in order to form a new revolution of my own, one must have a new Pokémon."_

* * *

_A laboratory was built under the Wolfe mansion in Cinnabar Island. One only Team Rocket and his family knew. Without waiting for a single break, the man negotiated and cooperated with world-renowned scientists and geologists. Some were hesitant, while some accepted his offer with eyes shut. His plan for a new future began for months. Until one day, a DNA of a mysterious legendary was finally found in the deep dark jungles of Kanto. Experiments began in a heartbeat. The powerful man wasn't just known for his thick dedication, but also for his dangerous organization._

_The first try ended in complete failure._

_The second try ended in a burst of minor flames._

_The third try was just the same, only it also caused the whole Cinnabar a total blackout._

_Many tries and failures happened in the following month. The scientists almost lost hope. But Giovanni never gave up. "Every time you fall, it only gives you a reason to rise even higher!" He always said, motivating and silently threatening the workers under him._

_After numerous and countless failures, finally the experiment was a success._

_Stable. A beating heartbeat. Even breathing. Body solidly formed. Alive._

_The subject was called, 'Mewtwo.'_

* * *

_Even with the lab positioned under the mansion, Emery and Silver had no clue what the man was doing. They were off limits, per say. The woman didn't question much, but for her to be curious was never denied. She was an ex-adventurer, after all. Secrets and mysteries were things she craved. Even as a calm housewife and mother, she was still a tenacious ranger inside._

_"Oh it's nothing, my dear. All you need to know is that our future will be bright as ever soon," was all her husband ever told her. Even so, that never stopped her from being curious. Every time she walked by the halls, the door to the underground was never not looked._

_Until one night, curiosity had gotten the best of her._

_She waited until all were asleep. Her child was tucked in his room. Her husband was exhaustingly worn out beside her. As her feet touched the ground, she glanced at Xander who merely gave a confused stare._

_One finger placed on her lip, Emery gave a light 'shush'. "I'll be right back. Make sure Giovanni's asleep, okay baby?"_

_Understanding his human's words, Xander gave a single nod. With a smile intact, she placed a soft kiss on the sharp claw's forehead and quietly dashed off. She knew the consequences of her actions. If she were to ever get caught, things might stir trouble between her and her husband._

_So as she walked towards the chosen room, all she ever thought was,_

_ I'll only go in there once and take a peek. What's the worst that can happen?_

_Little did she know, not only her mind, but her life would also change for good as her foot set its first step inside the laboratory._

* * *

_Emery had no idea that their 'little' house had so much space._

_The laboratory was huge and spacious. Devices and machines fitted most areas, some even she thought it might change into a rocket if pressed carelessly. Her footsteps echoed throughout the big room. Left and right her eyes took place, scanning the bizarre area. "What have you been doing, sweetie...?" Her lips murmured the unanswered question. Emery brought her hands close to her beating chest._

Ba-dump!

_Her feet reached a halt. Her eyes widened. Emery looked around, seeing only darkness and tiny mechanical lights as her vision._

Ba-dump…Ba-dump!

_There it was again: the faint sound of a heartbeat. Quickly her palm pressed her chest._ That wasn't me… _she thought blankly, mind spinning with slight confusion. Head craning to the left, Emery saw a giant tube; size almost connecting the ceiling. Water filled the giant vessel. Bubbles in all shapes and sizes popped inside it. A dark shadow loomed in the blue liquid, shaped as a ball and almost the size of a human._

_"What's that…?" Emery mused loudly, though not enough to reach an echo. As if in a trance, her legs moved on their own, scooting towards the bubbling tube. Eyes never tearing away from the bedazzling shadow, finally she stopped in front of the vessel. "What are you…?" Her hands lightly pressed the glass, body inching closer to get a clear view._

_Her ears didn't deceive her. She wasn't deaf. The beat was coming from the mysterious creature. The shadow wasn't an object. It seemed too…alive to be classified as such. Its body was curled to a ball. Its eyes were pressed shut. Its arms held its legs, letting its body move freely inside the liquefied container._

_Completely oblivious to the dangers she might – and would – face, Emery bent her legs down, trying to meet the mysterious shadow's gaze. Engulfed in pure curiosity, her index finger gave a light tap. "Hello."_

_The tap immediately awakened the creature._

_It snapped its head up, bright iris-less purple eyes glaring up front. The sudden reaction startled Emery, seizing her from her thoughts. "What the-"_

BANG! _"MrraaAAWWGGH!" The black figure bellowed savagely. Its fist gave a harsh punch on the thick glass. Though the glass was unfazed, tiny tremors were seen on the vessel as the creature continuously landed its brutal punches. A yelp was released from Emery's voice. Quickly her feet scooted backwards, only to lose her balance and fell on her bum. "W-what…the…"_

BANG! BANG! BANG!

_"MRRAWWGHH!" It screamed and roared in bellicosity. The figure plunged forward, unleashing more punches on the solid glass. Emery's body began to shake faster, eyes clearly frozen on the manic creature. Now, all she saw were not only its wide blank violet eyes, but also its sharp white fangs. It growled and snarled, glaring at the woman as if she was helpless prey._

_Her arms and legs shivered in utter terror. "W-what…is…"_

_"Something's happening in the laboratory!" Suddenly, she heard a voice from afar. Luckily, the voice brought her back to reality, snapping Emery from her fearful trance. Taking one sharp breath, she fumbled back to her feet and swiftly dashed away before the guards realized she was ever there._

_Just before she successfully got out of the laboratory, her skin prickled horribly as the violent creature bellowed another maniacal, "MMRAAAAWWGH!"_

* * *

_Three days had passed since the traumatizing yet confusing incident. Emery safely reached her bedroom without a peep. But even as her body lay on the bed, her eyes and mind were awake like they had never been before. Her thoughts were too enthralled on the mysterious grim shadow. Its dead purple eyes. Its gleaming little fangs. Its fists numerously banging the thick sturdy glass. All of them served her mind in a silver platter._

_She wanted – needed – to know the beholder of the dark figure._

_She questioned what Giovanni was doing – experimenting – to that shadow. Heck, she even doubted her husband's job. What was her husband's relation to the wrathful mysterious creature? What were his intentions? What was his motive to undergo such baffling experiments?_

_Giovanni was just a man managing a training center for trainers, right?_

_She knew it was unnecessary, but doubt rooted in her heart no matter how badly she convinced herself. And it didn't help Emery to realize that even if she asked her husband, he wouldn't cooperate nor answer a soul._

_So at the brink of the third night, she decided to take matters into her own hands._

* * *

_The night proceeded as before: sneaking out of bed, tiptoeing towards the hidden laboratory, and making sure that Giovanni's guards were not hot on her trail._

_That, and made sure the black mysterious figure didn't go berserk like last time._

_Emery stopped in front of the vessel. It was still bubbling. The form was still present and floating soundly. Her brown eyes wandered around the dark figure. Its body was as it was before, curled up in a fetal position. Eyes lowering to a squint, she took one – very quiet – foot forward._

_Sensing her presence, the shadow's eyes opened in a snap._

_It looked forward, blank eyes glaring as before. Its mouth almost twitched to a snarl, threatening Emery in defence. The redhead froze in shock instead of fear. Quickly her hands were raised at eye level. "Hey, hey," she shushed gently, voice soft and slow, "I am not going to hurt you. I swear. See, I'm unarmed." Emery waved her hands in front of the creature's eyes, proving her point. Its iris-less violet eyes cautiously moved to her palms, before reaching her face._

_She flashed a sweet smile – as if she was standing before a frightened baby Pokémon. "You can trust me."_

_Silence swirled in the room as one waited for a response while the other pondered. The black figure stared long and hard. Though completely dark, Emery could see a faint sign of confusion in its eyes. She saw hesitation._

_And honestly, this made her flash a wider smile. Because the second Emery saw emotions in the being, that meant it had heart and mind. Her hands slowly fell to her sides. As she did so, she saw another emotion that made her heart skip joyfully: Trust._

_The creature was beginning to trust her._

_"Who are you?" Emery asked, immediately switched from cautious to curious. Hands cupping behind her back, she leaned her torso forward. Swiftly and thoroughly she scanned the shadow. All was dark inside the vessel, except its eyes which gleamed as bright as purple stars. Other than that, all was coated in darkness. At the same time, the figure floated an inch backwards, baffled that the human showed no fear or threat._

_"What is your name?" It heard her asked, voice gentle and sooth. It stared at her in surprise. She blinked and had her full attention on him. Her voice was clearly heard for the first time. Her brown hazel eyes shined under the dim darkness of the barren laboratory. She looked innocent. She looked demure. Clearly she was interested about the being, it wouldn't deny. But the way she stared at it. The way her eyes cast a gentle gaze gave the creature a new sense of emotion it never thought existed: Calm._

_First there was trust. Then there was calm._

_Next there was fond._

_The being slowly closed its eyes. Before Emery could question its gesture, lights blinked from a machine near where she stood. The woman gave a light jump, a hand quickly holding her chest. A screen was switched on, revealing numerous numbers and words that could prove baffling to simple minds. She gawked at the machine at such a dumbfounded manner. Emery then looked at the shadow, whose eyes showed nothing but emptiness._

_But she knew: the machine wasn't activated by accident. And she knew: the creature wanted her to find out._

_Brown eyes still lingering on the vessel, her feet cautiously scooted towards the contraption. Her palms were rolled into fists, closer to her rapidly beating chest. Finally, she stopped in front of the machine. Her eyes stayed focus on the screen given. One by one a file blinked open, revealing the answers that she longed needed since the first night she came._

_She saw biographies of genius and tough explorers, archaeologists, and scientists._

_She saw a constructive and detailed image of a DNA, one that seemed quite abnormal than the average human or Pokémon._

_She saw quite a few reports on – failed – experiments from the past few months. Finally, a file was opened, revealing the information on the last – successful – experiment; one which was floating a few feet away._

_One by one by one the notes opened and closed, baring the secrets within in front of the stunned woman. Emery could only freeze in her steps, mouth slightly parted as her mind tried to sink in the horrifying information._

Successful findings? Countless tests? Clone…Clone of Mew…? New…stronger Pokémon…? _Her stomach twisted a churn. Her heart reached an ache. Questions drilled into her brain, somehow making her mind more tangled rather than easing it. Finally, her eyes glued to the current experiment's biography. Its gender. Its DNA. Its current status. Its stability._

_Its name._

_Unaware of her actions, Emery mouthed, "Mewtwo."_

_Suddenly, light appeared from behind. A gasp breathed from her mouth. Her body turned around, only to see the vessel's light switch was on; revealing the true identity of the mysterious Pokémon._

_His body resembled one more to a mere human. His thighs were quite huge, though his waist was slim and small. Three stubby fingers were present on each hand, whilst two toes were present on his feet. His skin was a lighter tone of purple. However, a dark violet tail swished gently in the clear liquid, its other end connected to his lower abdomen. Forcing a gulp, Emery moved her eyes to his head. Compared to his body, the head took after a rather feline structure than a human's: eyes sharp and narrow, a snout, and two ears in shape of little horns._

_But her heart stopped for a nanosecond once she saw the Pokémon's gaze. They weren't blank and empty anymore._

_No. Instead, it revealed a pair of deep, dark, mesmerizing purple irises._

_"You're…" She stuttered, unable to precede the words she wanted to utter. "A…clone…?"_

_"Is somebody there?" Suddenly, before a single reply could be answered, another voice echoed from afar. Thankfully, it awoke Emery from her shock. She quickly glanced at her side, seeing a few shadows coming near them. "Shoot." She hissed lightly. Without a second thought, the woman dashed towards the closest exit and made her escape. Mewtwo merely watched in confusion, lips forming a straight line._

_But just before she could disappear from his vision, Emery turned, flashed a cheerful smile, gave a quick wave, and happily whispered, "I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" She ran off without a respond, gone for the rest of the night._

_Surprise was what the Pokémon felt after that._

_He stared at the distance blankly, eyebrow rose in question and lips posing a puzzled pout. Mewtwo looked at his right palm. Head tilting to the left, he shook his hand in a robotic manner, imitating what the human had shown to him. He gawked as his palm gently swished. The action was still baffling to the genetic Pokémon. However, he didn't stop waving. So as he stared towards the path she disappeared, he moved his slowly rocking hand against the glass like a dumbfounded idiot._

* * *

_Two weeks._

_Two whole weeks were the time spent between the human and Pokémon._

_Two whole weeks they secretly met without Giovanni or the others realizing it._

_Two whole weeks Emery befriended Mewtwo, talking and conversing about random stuff; unintentionally teaching the genetic Pokémon about life._

_And in those two whole weeks, the more Mewtwo spent time with Emery, the more he actually felt…alive._

_"And today my precious Silver healed a Pidgey by giving him Oran berries. Those berries are very useful when used for medicine. And they're quite tasty too." Emery burst a giggle as her thoughts brought her to the ecstatic little redhead. "He is always helping the Pokémon around when they're in trouble. As a mother, it makes me very happy." Right hand tapping her lips, she hid her smile. Her eyes narrowed to a thoughtful, motherly glow. Silver was the joy of her life. Whenever she felt glum or lonely, she knew her little ray of sunshine was always there to make her happy._

_Unaware, her daydream was fully focused by Mewtwo. The Pokémon blinked and looked as Emery giggled to herself. A twitch of a faint frown curved his lips._

What…is that sound…?

_Her laughter halted. Her eyes wide. Emery quickly stood up straight and spun around, body in position of an offense. But to her surprise, darkness was all she could see. There was no one around. Guards or grunts were absent. No human nor Pokémon. "Who's there…?" She cautiously asked, hands raised and rolled into fists._

Who are you talking to?

_There it was again; that deep, stoic voice. She scanned left and right, brown eyes wide as they could be. Her heart raced. Her nerves pulsed. She wasn't deaf. A voice was heard._

_But where?_

Emery, you are baffling me with your strange human ways.

_"That voice…" Muttering to herself, the woman turned around and faced the vessel. Mewtwo was eyeing her peculiarly, an eyebrow rose in question. Brown eyes blinked at a pair of violets. Emery stood in stupor as her hands fell to her sides. "Did you…" She pointed her finger towards the creature, face expressing the most baffling expression she could give, "Did you just…speak to me…?"_

_Oblivious to the stupor, Mewtwo merely gave a single nod._

Yes, I am.

_Her hands slapped her gaping mouth. Amazement was all that could be seen and felt from her. Never had she heard a Pokémon talk before. Even though Mewtwo was now talking to her telepathically, it was still counted as a conversation between human and Pokémon. "That is amazing!" Emery cheered, voice still in a stable volume, "I never knew you have the ability to talk to other humans and Pokémon. Such wonders!"_

_Mewtwo blinked as Emery continued to unwarily praise him. As her words were slurred into his ears, Mewtwo felt a small sense of what could be stated as pride. He felt somewhat proud to be praised and awed by the person responsible for his newly changed behaviour._

You are the first person I have ever let my mind be indulged into. _Mewtwo calmly spoke, violet eyes never tearing away from her face._

_The elegant redhead looked at the purple being, slight shock twinkling in her eyes. "Eh, you haven't talked to the other scientists or anyone before?"_

_A shake of the head was given._

Negative. Compared to you, they merely see me as an experiment; driven with such formalities and no sense of humanity. _Mewtwo cast a glance at Emery. His eyes narrowed to a grim glow. His mouth straightened to a thin line._ And for that, I shall never entrust them with my thoughts as to what I am doing to you.

_Obviously, the woman didn't expect that answer for her eyes had grown wide in bewilderment. Her heart shook a crack to see the pain in Mewtwo's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that…" she muttered woefully, head staring at her twitching toes. Silence lingered around them. The sound of bubbles brewing was their only music, both waiting for either one to shatter the awkward stillness._

_Until finally, Emery looked upwards and flashed a beautiful white smile. "Well, then I am honoured to receive your trust, Mewtwo." She laughed softly, left fingers gently placed on her pink lips._

_There it was again: the sound. The beautiful chime as it breezed from her parted mouth._

What is that sound…?

_Her giggles stopped, yet mouth still curved to a small smile. "What sound?"_

That. _He pointed one finger towards her mouth,_ That sound you made. I have never heard of it before. _Curiosity began to peak the legendary's mind. To him, the chiming echo gave a gentle ease in his heart. It sounded like bells, only softer and calmer than any ring. He floated closer, as if trying to solve the hardest mystery that was clouding his brain._

_It took Emery no less than seconds to realize what he was talking about. "Oh you mean my laugh?" She chuckled the answer, right arm wrapped around her waist._

Laugh…? _He cocked his head slightly, eyes blinking at her face. This time, roles were switched. Mewtwo bared its puzzled expression while Emery gave a small nod._

_"Yes. A laugh, Mewtwo. It is a sound made to express joy and happiness." Her mouth pursed a giggle. "Laughter can always be given at any time and any place with anyone. In fact, laughter can also remove one's stress. Even when you feel sad, a little laugh can always cheer you right up. Isn't that great?" Her teeth flashed before the Pokémon's eyes. Hands cupping her elbows and arms placed near her stomach, Emery happily added, "Like right now, I'm laughing because I'm enjoying my time with my friend."_

Friend…? _Another question after another. Mewtwo blinked, feeling more and more curious at every new word coming from the human's vocabulary._

_"Eh, you don't know what's 'friend' too?" Emery knew the Pokémon had so little knowledge on the world around him, but she couldn't help but feel surprised at his intuitiveness. She laughed adorably, right palm holding her parted lips. "Well, how should I say this…?" The woman looked at nowhere in particular, thinking of the perfect answer for such an obviously easy yet tough question. Mewtwo merely waited patiently, his body floating in the clear thick liquid._

_Finally, a snap of her fingers mutely echoed. "I got it!" Emery happily cheered, brown eyes sparkling in glee. As she focused her gaze on the puzzled Pokémon, she flashed a smile and answered, "Well, a friend is someone other than a family member, spouse, or a lover. But even so, a friend is someone whose company you enjoy very much and you feel at ease every time you're with them. A friend is someone who you can share laughs with, make happy moments together, and even make you forget all the bad things in life. A friend is someone who loves you for just who you are."_

_Her smile lowering to a much more motherly line, Emery slowly murmured, "A friend is someone who you can always count on and never leave you behind."_

_Unlike before, surprise was clearly seen on Mewtwo's face. His mouth slightly gaped out of reflex. He seemed stupefied at the statement given. Emery giggled to see such an expression. Her cheeks were a shade of reds, somehow glowing under the dim light of his vessel. Lips lightly pursed inside, he tried to make a connection of her answers with the time they spent together._

_He enjoyed her company, as so was her. He felt calm and peaceful every time she came, as so was her. The second he saw her enter the laboratory, he felt a sudden rush of bliss rushing into his mind. The second he heard her laugh for the first time, he felt a soothing emotion of content._

_She knew who – what – he was. And yet, she still cared for him just as she was now._

So…that means…I am… I am you friend…? _Mewtwo asked, voice now quite loud and shaken than before. Nerves made his heart beat faster. Never had he felt this way before; nervous and very anxious to know such a simple question._

_But then, all of his fear and anxiety washed away in a blink of an eye as he obtained his answer: "Of course you are, Mewtwo. And you are a dear friend of mine."_

* * *

_"Boss," Archer spoke as he entered the room. His blue eyes set on the desk and chair positioned a few feet away. A man sat calmly on his place, head down on the piles of documents stacked before him. Giovanni didn't give a response, yet the young Rocket knew he was summoned to come forward and bear the latest news._

_And today, his news was one that was greater than good. "Sir, here is the file for 'Experiment Mewtwo' as you requested." Arriving in front of his boss, Archer placed the brown folder and slowly slid it forward. Without a word, Giovanni took the file and flipped it open. His eyes scanned the notes thoroughly, mouth never uttering a peep. Eerie quietness ticked its moment inside the huge room. However, Archer felt neither fear nor fright for his boss. To him, only respect conquered his feelings for the leader of Team Rocket._

_Another tick occurred, and a grin evilly coiled Giovanni's lips. "It seems the experiment has stabilized perfectly these past few weeks. Excellent." Slapping the file shut with one hand, Giovanni looked up and smiled at his second-in-command. "Begin phase two as soon as possible."_

_A smile wasn't returned, but the edges of the bluenette's lips twitched to a smirk. With arm placed on his stomach and a bow given, Archer loyally replied, "Very well, Boss."_

* * *

_Silence. Unmoving, frightful stillness lulled its surroundings. Time seemed frozen as darkness wrapped him whole. Sounds were faint echoes as his heart drummed a still beat._

_All seemed normal for Mewtwo, just like the days before._

_But today, everything would change for the worst – and nothing would ever be the same again._

Zap! _He felt something lightly poking his torso, making him twitch in discomfort. More voices boomed in his ears. Mewtwo tried to shrug it off, taking it as one of their foolish tests on himself._

Z-zap… Zap! _Another zapped occurred. Another spasm happened. A low hiss bubbled out of his mouth._ What…is going on…?

Zzzz-ZAAAP!

_"Mrawgh!" The genetic Pokémon shrieked in pain, eyes immediately snapped open. For the first time in his life, Mewtwo woke up before the people who weren't Emery. Panic-stricken and dumbfounded, he looked left and right. All were strangers to him. All were complete nobodies._

_"Rise and shine, Mewtwo." A voice took his attention, making him shot his vision on a man before him. The man stood very closely to the container. His body was clad in black pants and suit. A small logo in a shape of an 'R' was patched on the man's left side of his chest. Although this was the first time Mewtwo had ever met the smirking human, the genetic Pokémon hissed acidly; knowing very well that this man was the exact opposite of Emery._

_Instead of fear like what his subordinates were showing, Giovanni wore a much calmer look. "I am impressed that you are able to feel threaten at my presence," he chuckled grimly, hands clasping and arms folded behind his back. "Then again, you should be afraid of me, since you will be my most powerful and obedient pet."_

_Such baffling words were slurred without hesitant or doubt. And for that, a new sense of emotion riled up inside Mewtwo. A…pet…? The genetic Pokémon thought, his mind well locked from the mind of the evil doer. I am no such thing! He quickly shook his head, obviously denying the proposal given to him._

_And because of this, a frown curved Giovanni's mouth. "Stubborn, I see." A sigh breathed through his lips as Giovanni slowly walked towards the machinery beside Mewtwo. "You see, pet. You are in no position to disobey me. You are created by me. You are designed for me. Your life is to serve me." His hand reached a red lever. "And if you ever – even crossed your mind – to disobey my orders, you shall retrieve your deadly retribution."_

_The lever roughly pulled down._

_The jolts zapped every inch of his purple body._

ZZZZAP ZAP ZZZAPP!

_"MRAAWGHH!" Mewtwo shrieked in unbelievable pain. Multiple white jolts stabbed his body from inside the clear vessel. It pierced through his chest. It drilled into his shoulders. The blasts ripped his fragile skin, tearing his legs down to his ankles. "MrrewAAAARGHH!" Mewtwo violently shook his head and body, trying to shake off the brutal jolts that continued to violate his every whim._

_Reactions were seen from the spectators. Scientists were scared and shocked. Grunts were petrified and awed. Only the four young executives posed calm masks, enjoyable even to see the punishment the clone was receiving for refusing their boss' command._

_Giovanni gave the widest smile, amused to see pain inflicting the successful clone. He pulled the lever up, ceasing the jolts from zapping – much to Mewtwo's relief. The limp body fell on the cold ground; his head and shoulder weakly leaned against the thick glass. Mewtwo gasped and panted in utmost pain. His eyes were barely open, enough to see the evil man laughing in maniacal glee._

_"Have we reached a deal?" Mewtwo heard him ask, voice not even the slightest hint of guilt for what he had done. He clenched his teeth tightly, only to regret as pain shot right through his jaw. The legendary tried to shake his head, still refusing to form such a humiliating pact with the leader._

_Seeing his reply, it only aggravated Giovanni._

_"Tch," he spat in disgust, fingers clutching on the lever. "Disgusting beast!"_

_The lever was pulled, and round two was commenced._

_Mewtwo bellowed once again as the jolts ate his flesh and skin. His body rose up. His arms stretched and twitched on his sides. His head tilted up until his wide eyes saw the tube's lid._

S-stop it… _he begged mentally._ I s-said s-stop…it…

ZZZAAAAPP!

_The voice of his mind reached a silence as he could no longer bear the agony._ E-em…me…ry…

* * *

_"Who's a cute boy? Who's my precious lovable prince?"_

_"I am!" Silver cheered as he waved his hands in the air. Emery laughed happily as the child began to parade in front of his mother. A toy crown was placed on the child's red locks. A little plastic staff was swished around the boy's right grasp. A red blanket was tied on his neck, flapping behind him as Silver paced back and forth before his mother._

_Emery and Xander laughed as loudly as they could. Silver always enjoyed playing dress-up and modelled for his mother. He huffed and fisted his chest many times, acting more like a caveman rather than a king. "Look Mama. I am King Silver and as my first order of business: free ice cream for everybody!" Silver shouted in triumph, both arms raised in the air._

_Emery giggled as she petted her son's head. "That is the best rule ever, sweetie."_

_A blush shaded the youngling's cheek. A cough of a bashful laugh escaped Silver's mouth. "And you will be queen, Mama. Coz queens are beautiful and you are so beautiful, you'll make all the other queens sad coz they're all ugly."_

_The boy had never failed to make his mother burst into a joyful cackle. "Aww, thank you Silver-"_

Emery…

_Her petting froze. Her eyes didn't blink. Emery stopped for a moment, heart pounding as a new voice entered her brain._

Em…me…ry…

_She swiftly stood up, hands near to her beating chest. Her body turned left and right, round eyes looking at nothing. "Mama?" Silver asked in confusion, baffled at the sudden change of Emery's behaviour._

H-he…Help…

_She wasn't wrong. It was definitely Mewtwo's voice. Suddenly,_

BA-DUMP…!

_She exhaled a light gasp as the pain shot right through her heart. As if something had punched her stomach, Emery bent forward and held her temple._

_'Emery?' Xander asked in full concern, panicking to see the weird reaction his ranger was giving._

_"Mama?" Feeling slightly afraid, Silver cried for his mother. His hand tugged the woman's pants, hoping to catch her attention. "Mama?"_

Em…me…r-ry…

_"No." Without another thought, Emery spun her heels and rushed out of the room._

_Bewilderment slapped Silver's and Xander's face to see their mother and ranger dashing out of the blue. "Mama wait!" Silver gave chase, and so did Xander._

* * *

_Mewtwo gasped hollowly as he sprawled on the cold floor. His breathing faint. His eyesight blurry. All watched as the Pokémon was slowly losing his consciousness._

_Giovanni sighed in boredom. "Apparently, this Pokémon has created a too much mind of his own." He spat in irk, hand moving up to his hair. "Guess we have no choice but to use force." A finger snapped, and Archer – expressionless as before – obediently walked forward with a collar and device in his hands._

_All nervously waited for what would soon happen. None were even brave enough to sound a squeak. Breathings and heartbeats raced, all eyes watching as Archer began handing Giovanni his second greatest creation._

_Until suddenly, "Get away from him!"_

_A booming voice echoed out of nowhere. Heads were turned. Heels were spun. Even Giovanni and Archer stopped in their movements, heads quickly moving to the sound of the intruding person._

_Giovanni's eyes widened. His smile immediately replaced with a frown._

_Emery stood near the lab's doorframe. The entrance was positioned quite high up with stairs leading down the laboratory, thus letting everyone saw the last person they wanted to see._

_"Madam!" Ariana screamed out of reflex, right before her hands quickly slapped her mouth shut._

_"Emery?" No words could describe the shock that consumed Giovanni right now. There, standing right before his very eyes, was his own beloved Emery. And rather than her usual, loving expression, Giovanni felt his heart stopped to see the rare expressions of his wife: Peeved, angry, and clearly infuriated._

_And just as he thought his unfortunate surprise had ended, Emery opened her mouth and furiously commanded, "Xander! Ice Beam!"_

_Xander, who had arrived a second after, immediately acted without hesitance and jumped above Emery's head. Inhaling a sharp breath of air, the Sneasel exhaled Ice Beam right at the crowd of grunts and scientists. The solid cool air zapped the ground, shattering the tiles and causing some to trip and fall._

_Mind acting out of rationality, Emery held the railing and jumped off the edge. Right in the nick of time, Xander breathed a thick slide of ice. The woman easily slid on the frozen water, legs bent and arms stretched to achieve balance. Her ponytailed hair swished rapidly as speed picked up. Her eyes were narrowed, glaring at the man she called husband._

_"What the…" The Rocket leader took a step backward, mind a total blank to see the situation had turned for the unexpected._

_"Somebody stop her!" A random voice reached his earshot, ordering the men to stop his wife. Giovanni felt his skin tingled up to his spine. Fear instantly shot right through him. Although Emery was causing such a scene, the last thing he ever wanted was his beloved to be hurt. Fisting the machine brutally, Giovanni angrily shouted, "Don't attack her you fools-"_

_But to his dismay, Zubats, Koffings, and Ekans all plunged towards the sliding woman. Multiple forms of gasses and sludge rocketed for both the ex-ranger and Pokémon. Black eyes were wide as they could be, feeling as they were about to fall off to see his wife seconds away from acidic annihilation._

_Suddenly, a huge mist poofed and clouded the room. All visions were fogged. Coughs were heard. A loud bark rang in his ears. Slices and dices and screams and shrieks came seconds after._

What is going on?! _Giovanni irritatingly thought, feeling both worried and angry at the fact that not only his wife could be in peril, but he could also not see a damn thing._

_Silence came after the frantic noises. A huge gust of wind was cast by Ariana's Murkrow, immediately lifting the white fog._

_And what they saw next made them speechless to the bone._

_Emery stood before the gaping crowd, body completely unscathed and unharmed. Her position was one of power and in command. Her face showed neither smile nor joy. Her fists were tightly clenched. Xander perched on her shoulder, mouth growling and hissing in hatred._

_The Rocket grunts' Pokémon lay on the floor; all frozenly dizzy and horribly beaten._

_Taking no attention to the shocking response from the others, Emery quickly dashed towards the vessel. Her attention, her eyes, her fear; all focused on the single Pokémon sprawling helplessly inside. "Mewtwo!" Emery pounded the thick glass, silently praying that she wasn't too late. "Mewtwo! Mewtwo! Wake up!" Bang and boom her fists went, until finally she stopped, opening her hands and pressing her palms against the cold glass. Oh how her heart fell to see the despair lying deathlessly before her very eyes. "I'm sorry…" She wept in grief, her legs slowly bending down to meet his fallen gaze. "I'm so sorry I was too late. Please wake up…"_

_"Emery."_

_The voice – one that was causing her heart to wage a ruthless battle in her – whirled in her ears. Ironically, a sense of fear entered her mind, making her body shiver in terror. Biting the insides of her lips, Emery shut her eyes and peeked to her left._

_Her mind cursed silently, for in the clear view of her tearful brown eyes, she could perfectly see her husband._

_All the worst part was, she could vividly see the emotions brewing inside him: Confused, angry, dumbstricken, disappointed._

_And most of all: Betrayed._

* * *

_"How?!" Giovanni paced left and right, hands tugging his short black hair._

_"Why?" He shouted again, voice reaching a higher pitch every minute._

_"When?" The man clenched bits of his dark locks under his fingers, ignoring the pain as he furiously pulled them harder._

_"WHY?!" Finally he stopped, eyes glaring at the lady before him. Minutes after the horrifying stunt she pulled, Giovanni dragged his wife away from the whispering crowd and led them to their room. Now, all kinds of questions and speculations haunted his mind, turning it into a complicated tangled mess._

_Emery stood still as Giovanni broke into a mental fit. Her hands clasped behind her back, fingers intertwined and nervously twitching as his voice boomed in their bedroom. The redhead looked down, teeth lightly chewing her lower lip as if trying to remove the jitters._

_He saw fear in her. And honestly, it killed him to see it._

_"Emery," Giovanni took one long breath, calming himself down for scaring her. "I… I just…" Another sigh, one louder and rather intense, "I specifically told you to stay away from the laboratory. Why did you disobey me?"_

_She didn't answer a peep, whether from fright or stubborn._

_"Emery…" Hands cupping his face, he blew a distressed hiss and impatiently tapped his foot._

_"It was a couple of weeks ago." Though voice was quiet as the tiniest of whispers, Giovanni was able to hear her words perfectly._

_"A couple of weeks?" He gaped like a fool, hands falling and dangling to his sides. "You meant to tell me that you have been secretly meeting that thing – behind my back – for the past few weeks?"_

_"And why were you so intent into not letting me enter that lab?" She averted his question with one of her own. Her head shot straight up, round eyes drilling into the man's stricken gaze. "Why were so against me from going into that room and meeting that poor Pokémon? What were you doing to him in the first place? Why did you torture him like he was some kind of a ragged doll?!" Her voice reached a pitch as well, volume reaching an equal to her husband's. Giovanni could only stare and gawk. Never had he thought Emery would disregard his orders, let alone find out about his master plan._

_"What have you been doing all this time…?" Her final sentence was the quietest and toned to a mutter. And her final sentence was also the clearest he had heard._

_His hands trembled. His teeth clenched and bore with a frown. He was at lost for words; both the truth and lies. A long breath inhaled through his nostrils and mouth. Giovanni looked away, silently unmasking the horrid truth before the woman he loved._

_As she watched, her heart shattered until none could be repaired any longer. "What happened to no secrets between us? Are all those just empty promises you made?" A tear trickled down her cheek, dripping right on their red carpet. "All this time… All this time that we've been together; what you've been doing, all of it were just acts? Lies to cover up the true deed of your nature?"_

_Nothing. Silence. Giovanni had said nothing in his defence. It was all pointless. It was all useless._

_It was all over._

_Emery wanted to sprawl on the floor. She wanted to scream, to bawl in sorrow of all the things she had witnessed._

_Because the man that she loved and swore to spend eternity with, was also the man that tortured Pokémon for his own sick pleasure._

_"Please release him…" she begged shamelessly, "Please let go of Mewtwo. Stop… Stop torturing him as to what you are doing now."_

_His eyes turned round to such an unbelievable request. "What- No!" His answer came out of a whim, without having much thought to it. "I will not – never – let it be free! Do you realize how much effort it took for me to actually create that thing?" Quickly he took her hands – shaking and cold – and brought them closer to his face. "Emery, all that I've done. All that I've achieved. This is all for us; for our little family. For you. For me. For Silver-"_

_"No!" With a stern cry, Emery snatched her hands away. "Not by manipulating people and Pokémon! Not by exterminating what you think is weak and pointless!" With brown wet eyes glaring deadly at the stunned man, she furiously hissed, "And not by tormenting a poor harmless Pokémon!"_

_"A harmless Pokémon?" A maniacal cackle escaped Giovanni's mouth, baffled and stupefied that Emery would label such an abomination. Fury slowly took control of him, taking over his patience that was wearing cautiously thin. "Emery, get your facts straight. He's not a Pokémon. He's a monster!"_

_"You wanna know who's the monster?" Rationality faded from both the adults. One foot forward, she pointed one finger and jabbed his chest. Clouded from the anger conquering her mind – and without a single moment to stop – she blatantly accused, "The only monster in this house right now is YOU!"_

_"EMERY!" The man himself acted out of rage, his right hand was immediately raised – palm ready to brutally kiss her cheek._

_Anger could blind a man until all he could see was death and destruction._

_But anger could also be temporary, halting a man before causing any acts that would cause regret and suffering._

_He froze with hand in mid-air. She froze with terror-filled eyes gawking at his manic face._

_Realization hit him like a rock. Tremors occurred in every parts of his body, making him realize the consequences of what he was about to befall._

_"Papa? Mama?"_

_A childish voice rang in their ears, making both heads faced the door. There he was: little Silver standing by the doorframe, still in his cloak and crown. Xander stood by his side, lowly growling with eyes sharp on the Rocket leader. Silver hugged the toy staff closer to his heart, looking ever confused and sad. "What's going on…?"_

_Time seemed to stand still as they watched their child. The parents gave no response, for no explanation could help him understand the situation they were caught in._

_And honestly, they themselves were lost and trapped in his sick, tormented game._

_"It's nothing, baby."_

_That voice – her voice – brought him back to reality. How sweet and gentle; one that he unwarily craved and missed ever since he indulged in the project. Giovanni looked forward, but Emery gave no attention to him at all, instead looking at their son. "Mama is just having a little conversation with Papa." A smile was shown on her radiant, beautiful face. A smile that brought him joy, laughs, and everlasting promises of happily ever after._

_But it murdered Giovanni to know: That smile wasn't for him. And it would never be anymore._

_Emery walked towards her son, all awhile ignoring the motionless man. Body stooping down and hand caressing Silver's hair, she lovingly uttered, "Why don't you go have some ice cream with Xander? Go find Auntie Ariana and stay with her until I get back, okay?"_

_Silver eyes blinked innocently as he gazed at her mother. Her closed eyes simmered and shined like the saddest of stars. He then lowered down to her lips. It trembled around the edges, though a smile was given for him; somewhat masking the horror a little child could not decipher._

_Emery smiled. But then shock then retrieved her as she felt a warm palm on her cheek. She opened her eyes, seeing her son giving a boyish pout. "Don't cry, Mama." Silver grumbled, finger wiping the tear off her face. "Mama is sad. Nobody makes my mama cry. Nobody. If Mama is sad," He bent to the side and eagerly looked at his father, "then Papa will beat those meanies up and protect Mama and make Mama happy again!"_

Crack!

_Giovanni felt as if a cold silver bullet had shot his heart, ripping off his flesh and dripping his thick blood right to the soles of his shoes._

_Silver flashed a radiant smile, oblivious to the reactions of his parents. He glanced back at his mother, whose head was down to the ground. "Mama?"_

_"It's nothing, dear." Emery quickly replied, voice quick and short. She then looked up, mouth still forming a – very forceful – smile. "Now run along. I'll be there in a minute alright."_

_The little redhead watched in perplex, however finally nodding with a white smile flashing. "Alright then!" Clicking his heels, the boy skipped away, leaving the sorrowful moments that lingered in the room. Xander stayed in place, feeling the pain and pressure his ranger was giving. But before the Sneasel could manage a mew, Emery gently patted his head and murmured, "I'll be fine."_

_He knew she was lying. And he knew he wouldn't do anything about it._

_With a heavy heart, Xander left to follow behind Silver. Once again silence echoed in the premise. One stood in the middle whilst the other still stooped near the doorframe. His child's words still delayed in his ears, causing his heart to burn and rot into the deepest pits of hell. The man looked down, both fists coldly shaking on his sides. Locks of his messy black hair covered his forehead as he looked down, hiding the shimmer of his shut eyes._

_Finally, Emery stood up, back still facing the mournful man. Shrills of silence accompanied them, intensifying all the wrecked emotions they had left. Giovanni stared at his wife, who made no sudden movements for the past minute. With a frown stuck to his sullen face, he slowly whispered, "Emery-"_

_"I'm sorry." Her voice resonated quite loudly, stunning him shut. Body slowly turning around, she looked at Giovanni. He gulped to see such a shattered face, expression as if had given up on all she ever believed in. "I'm sorry I called you a monster. I'm sorry for disgracing you to a level that low." Clenched fists shaking on her sides, Emery stuttered, "You have every right to hit me…"_

_Black eyes widened in shock. Never would he think that she would say such ghastly things. "What- Emery no I didn't mean to-"_

_"But what you're doing to Mewtwo is downright unforgivable." Her head shot up, her eyes pleading without shame. "So please… I beg of you. Please release Mewtwo."_

_There it was again; the agonizing request. It sounded fainter and more desperate than before, merely plunging his guilt further down to his aching stomach. He pursed his lips. His eyes looked away. An agreement wasn't given. A denial wasn't granted._

_But to her dismay, she received her vivid answer._

_"If you do not find it in your heart to release him," Her legs went limp. Her mind went faint. "then release me instead."_

_Time had frozen solid. World had stopped flat. Breathing seemed impossible for the powerful boss of Team Rocket. His heart reached a motionless beat. No words could describe the bafflement devouring his every waking soul. His mind urged him to react; to prevent Emery from saying such a dreadful decision. The back of his brain yelled at him, screaming as loudly as it could to go to his wife and hug her petite body._

_But he didn't move. Not an inch. Not a fidget._

_She felt the jagged pieces of her broken heart slowly scraping the fleshy remains of her insides. Slowly Emery took a breath, sound shivering and crackling a sob. "I am going to Almia with Silver, and I don't know how long we will be there. Honestly, I hate to see you choose between the two things that you love." Her feet scooted to the door. Her arms swayed pathetically to her sides. How her body felt weak and lifeless; like a soul had left her, leaving only an empty tormented carcass. "But I can't handle this. I just can't…bear to feel this pain any longer."_

_Before the door was shut between the two once loving couple, her voice brokenly grieved, "I just hope you have made the right decision…"_


	27. 26

What… What is going on? Why…do I feel this inexplicable pain in my chest? My heart hurts. It hurts so much… Why… Why am I feeling like something is being ripped off me…?

_"Professor, the radar is going haywire on the experiment's nerve sense!"_

Why… Why can't I breathe? Why do I feel as if my throat has been obliterated by some unknown force? What… Why is thing happening to me…? Make it stop…

_"He is reaching a critically unstable position! Reset the power levels and reboot the program quick!"_

Voices… I hear voices… They're all hurting my ears… Emery… Emery where are you? I can… I can feel you slipping away. I can feel you slowly fading from my presence. What is…going on…? Emery help me…! Please don't a-abandon me…!

_"It's not going down sir!"_

"Prepare the electrocution!"

Make it stop. Make this painful agony stop. Please…! Emery…! Please help me…!

_"On the count of three!"_

Make.

_"One."_

It.

_"Two."_

Stop.

_"Three!"_

ZZZAAAAPPP!

_Blinding jolts pierced his skin yet again. Another high-pitched shriek echoed. As the physical torture was savagely being commenced, a deep boil of rage gurgled inside him, snapping the sanity within. The shock pressed through his body, electrocuting his every nerve; shattering his every will. A bawl of pain became a roar of animosity. His mouth that was gaping wide formed a ruthless snarl. The screaming Pokémon opened his eyes, revealing as purple light creepily engulfed his irises and pupils; baring nothing but entrancing nothingness._

_With multiples zapping occurring his every whim, Mewtwo clenched his fists together._

_In a blink of an eye, the indestructible vessel shattered into a million pieces._

_People and Pokémon were thrown about. Machines crashed and malfunctioned. A scientist fell a few feet back, until finally his back forcefully slammed against a hard wall. A horrible swell raised up his spine. A terrible headache knocked his entire brain cells. With a loud groan, the man opened his eyes._

_And the first thing he saw: was a dark looming shadow floating above the raging inferno._

_Violet violent electricity expelled from the Pokémon's body. It swirled around him like a human magnet, ferociously twitching and flailing on his arms and legs. Light was gone from the lab. Darkness claimed its every area. All that was present were the flames and purple lightning, frightfully flashing before the eyes of the afraid._

_The scientist plucked up all the courage he had left and looked up the Pokémon's face._

_Bright, iris-less purple eyes glowed maliciously. White, sharp fangs bore devilishly._

_He wasn't looking at a Pokémon._

_He was looking at a hollow demon._

_As dark aura circled around Mewtwo, he aimed his arm towards the shivering and petrified scientist. A black orb swiftly formed before his palm, ready to plunge right between the fragile man's eyes. With dead eyes going wide and manic as they could be, Mewtwo manically bellowed a wicked, "MRRRAAAWWWGGGHHH!"_

* * *

_"Yay a boat ride!" Silver cheered happily as he danced on the pier. Xander skipped along with him, the two enjoying the sun's rays as it warmly caressed their skins._

_But compared to the childish human and Pokémon, another pair was feeling the exact opposite._

_Emery stood quietly, eyes on her delightful son while hand painfully crushing the ticket. Her sundress was a gentle shade of brown, its edges taking a much darker tone with small stitches of three yellow stars sewn on the front and back. Her attire swayed as the wind blew, creating an unnerving chill for her bare arms and legs._

_"Emery…"_

_His voice called her again, breaking what's left of her heart and soul. The woman didn't respond, neither did she shot a glance. She stood in silence, her other hand gripping the black travel bag._

_Giovanni remained motionless by her side, feeling guilty as ever. He opened his mouth, wanting to plead her name once again. But all was at naught. As if something had caught his throat and was replaced with rocks, no words were out, instead leaving empty air of desperation and sorrow._

_She took one breath, and finally gave a short glare. "Take care of yourself while we're gone."_

_His breathing clogged in his chest as those words sounded so empty and in complete disdain._

_"Emery, I-"_

_"Mama! Papa! Come on! I can't wait to see Grandma and Grandpa!" Cutting the chance Giovanni would never ever retrieve, Silver playfully skipped and tugged both his parent's sleeves; left hand on Emery's and right on Giovanni's._

_A small – broken – smile curved her beautiful pink lips. "Okay sweetie. Now say goodbye to Papa."_

_His constant tugging reached a halt. Silver looked at his mother, silver innocent eyes flashing his immature confusion. "Papa isn't coming?"_

_Her head shook slowly while Giovanni froze in contempt. Body stooping to face the light of their lives, Emery softly patted Silver's short crimson hair. "No, baby. Papa has work to do back in his…" Heartache bit her mouth as she unwarily thought of the laboratory that held her dear friend hostage. Emery didn't give a clear reaction, but the vague frown of her lips was proof enough of her bleeding misery. "Papa has work in his office, okay? Now go hug Papa so we can be on our way."_

_How painful her words were to his ears. How horrifying it was to know that the comforting words she gave to their son were merely knives of karma deeply slicing his every flesh of skin._

_Seconds ticked by as Silver contemplated. Finally he nodded without hesitation, a smile beaming back on his shining face. "Alrighty then!" Skipping towards his father, Silver gave a little jump and hugged the man's leg. "Bye bye Papa! I love you!"_

_Eyes were on his son, so forlorn and empty. His hand reached for Silver's head, fingers ruffling on his soft red hair. "Take care of your mama for me, alright?"_

_Round silvers happily glistening in his father's hazy gaze, Silver happily replied, "I promise!"_

* * *

_He watched. He watched the boat disappear. He watched his family disappear. He watched a part of his life disappear._

_"Damn it." A low curse spat through gritted teeth. Clenches of his fists were tighter than ever. Giovanni felt infuriated at the fact that he was feeling so weak as each moment passed._

_Before he could punch a random someone or even kick a random something, his Pokégear rang in his pocket. With a harsh growl, Giovanni hastily snatched the device and answered, "What?!"_

_Seven seconds later, his stern expression was replaced with one of stunning shock._

* * *

_She watched. She watched the island disappear. She watched her husband disappear. She watched a part of her life disappear._

_"Mama, where are we going?"_

_Emery looked at his son. The child tugged the sleeve of her blouse. Pursing a small smile, she answered, "Don't you remember, sweetie? We're going to Almia to see Grandma and Grandpa. Isn't that fun?"_

_The boy bit the insides of his cheeks. He gazed out front. The wonderful island of Cinnabar was slowly fading away from his gaze. He then focused his attention back at his mother. "But Mama, isn't Papa coming with us? Usually Papa always comes with us when we see Grandma and Grandpa. So why isn't he following as well?"_

_He saw her mother's smile slowly fading away. Emery averted her gaze, her finger softly tapping her cheek. "Well darling, Papa has lots of work to do back home. Sometimes Papa has to sacrifice himself just so he can make us happy."_

_His head tilted to the left, confused with his mother's explanation. "Sacrifice…?"_

_The elegant redhead ruffled her son's hair. "Sacrifice means one has to give up something in order to obtain something or someone that they want. So Papa is now working very hard so he can see Silver happy."_

_Silver blinked quietly, pondering on the new word. "Sacrifice…" he muttered faintly, "But Mama, I'm already happy. I love Mama and Papa together. Why can't Papa join us? Maybe this ship can turn around to get Papa."_

_The child's innocent words shattered her fragile heart. Emery let out a faint sigh. Xander murmured quietly, as if giving his ranger some motivation. She looked into her son's eyes. Silver irises gleamed beautifully. It was so innocent. So pure. So filled with life and happiness. It harboured no hatred, nor deceit. It was just a sight if a curious child, who was happy enough with the simple things life had given him._

_The more she looked at Silver, the more she wanted to cry. Emery held her son's hands, gripping it tightly but softly. "Don't worry baby. I promise, once Papa is finished with his work, we will be one happy family again. Just you, Mama, Papa, and Xander." She flashed an honest smile as she made her – uncertain – promise._

_Silver quickly returned her smile with a wider version of his. "Yayy!"_

BOOM!

_Suddenly, a faint yet loud explosion reached their eardrums. Sounds of crowds going frantic boomed around the ship. Curiously, Emery stood up and looked at Cinnabar Island._

_Her whole skin prickled once her brown eyes saw black thick smoke whirling from a distance._

_"Mama, why is Cinnabar Island smoking?" Silver stood beside his mother, right hand tugging the side of Emery's dress. A few seconds later and no response were given, the boy looked up. "Mama?"_

_Her face showed nothing but fear and immense terror. Her thoughts were blank as paper. The smoke became thicker, darker. She squinted her eyes, hoping hard in her heart that the fog was coming from the – decades-old inactive – volcano._

_It wasn't._

_It came from the area where her mansion lay._

_Unaware of her child calling out for her, Emery ran around the deck. Quickly her head moved around, searching for the nearest sailor or even a captain. Finally, her eyes spotted a sailor. Heart racing rapidly in her chest, she dashed for the young man and unwarily tugged his arm to a halt. "Excuse me!" Emery exclaimed, voice panting and stirred with shock. "Please turn back this ship! My husband is in danger where that smoke is rising!"_

_Unfortunately, a silent gawk was given; a shake of the head next. "I'm sorry ma'am. Unless we get clear orders from the captain, this boat is flowing straight to Almia. Besides, whatever's happening in Cinnabar right now, we wouldn't wanna risk the passengers." He easily shrugged her off, for her whole body had gone limp from the explanation. Emery stood in aghast, wide eyes clouded with fearful bafflement. Feeling guilty to see such a crestfallen reaction, the sailor gave a light bow and apologized, "I am really sorry."_

_Minutes it had been since the sailor left. It was minutes as well since Emery stood in one place. 'Emery?' Xander softly mewled for her, climbing up her shoulder and waking her from her dread._

_Her eyes shot back to the island. The smoke was getting worse. Hell, she swore she could she faint traces of – purple – lightning. "Darn it!" Head looking up the sky, Emery frantically rummaged through her purse for some empty Pokéballs. As one was taken out, a few more – all in their smaller modes – were accidentally plopped out and dropped to the floor._

_With no attention of the mess or the chaos around her, Emery spotted a wild Pidgeotto. Sharp determined eyes on Silver and Xander, she confidently ordered, "Stay here on his ship."_

* * *

_He couldn't believe his eyes._

_The whole mansion was under fire. Flames enraptured its every part, flashing the brightest most demonic 'show' before him. Everyone – his staffs, his workers, his grunts, even his personal chefs – was seen running away from the deadly inferno. All were in a state of havoc. Screams and shrills of fear banged his disbelieving ears._

_"Boss!" A voice snatched brought him back to reality. Giovanni looked forward, only to see his four loyal executives rushing toward him. "Oh thank Arceus you are back-"_

_"What happened?!" Giovanni snapped, voice shrieking as he cut off Archer's words. "What the devil fucking hell has happened to my mansion?!"_

_All four were stunned shut. Their bodies were poised in a straight form, arms tight near their sides. "Boss," Archer broke the intense silence, "Mewtwo has gone berserk. Before we could take action, he suddenly expelled powerful jolts of aura energy."_

_"He is now completely trashing and demolishing the entire area – including the laboratory – as we speak," Ariana continued, a small frown of worry curving her lips._

_"The people and Pokémon in the lab are pretty much burned to toast and dead meat," Petrel blankly yet professionally stated._

_"The ground floors of the house are now giant craters of red and rubble." The young 14-year old Proton spoke with such formality._

_Giovanni was quiet as each status report shot his mind. Black eyes widened. Clenched teeth tightened. He glanced at the roaring fire. Bright orange sparks flicked up to the beautiful blue sky. "How… That monster!"_

"The only monster in this house is YOU!"

_A silent gasp wheezed through his mouth. He felt his pulse freeze on each wrist, preventing his fingers from any sudden movements. The words of his wife rang in his ears, making his heart drop right to his empty stomach. Giovanni spat a faint curse. Bringing his right hand to his forehead, the Rocket leader shook his head and sighed, "Well, the important thing now is Emery and Silver are far away from his horrendous-"_

_"Papa!"_

_All five froze at once to hear such a squeaking tone. Quickly they looked up._

_What they saw next startled them to the bone._

_"What the- OOF!" Petrel gasped as Silver landed his bum on the man's face. Taking no care of using Petrel as a cushion, the child jumped on the general's shoulders and hopped into Giovanni's baffled arms. "Hi Papa!" Silver cheered happily, little hands clutching the collar of his father's shirt._

_Although Silver looked like he was having the time of his life, Giovanni felt the exact opposite. "W-what are you doing here?!" He held the boy in front of his face, his hands eloquently shaking. "Where's your mama?"_

_Silver stared at Giovanni with such innocent confusion. "Um… I followed Mama back home." Soon, a wide smile followed after, his boyish arms waving in excitement. "Papa, Papa you should see Mama and me! Mama caught a pretty Pidgeotto and rode back to Cinnabar and there were some Pokéballs lying around so I copied Mama's movements and guess what Papa I caught a Pidgeotto myself! It was awesome! I caught my first Pokémon, Papa! Even though Mama said to stay put but I don't wanna be alone so me and Xander followed Mama from behind and she didn't notice." A little chuckle breathed in between – completely oblivious to the fact that all colour had drained from Giovanni's face._

_"Emery… Emery went back to the mansion…?" Giovanni stammered, mouth gasping and throat feeling very dry. "She…went…back…?"_

_"Yep!" Silver answered. As he focused his attention on Giovanni, Silver soon realized the odd expression his father was giving. "Papa, you okay?" The little redhead asked gently, his little hand gently reaching out to touch his cold face. "Papa?"_

_Wasting no moment to answer his child's questions, Giovanni frantically shoved Silver into Archer's arms. "B-boss?"_

_"All of you head to the pier now! Bring Silver along!" Giovanni exclaimed, eyes not even casting a peek at the bluenette. All his focus and attention were drawn toward the violent inferno – toward Emery._

_"What?" Archer gaped, blue eyes round to hear such a startling order. "B-but sir! We are not leaving without you-"_

_"JUST GO!" His leader screamed, forcing Archer to not sound a peep. Cursing a loud hiss, Giovanni spun his heel and ran inside the mansion._

_"Papa!" Silver screamed in terror, arms reaching out as he disappeared from his vision. "Hey let me go!" The boy began to struggle, his feet kicking and punching at air as a sign of release. Unfortunately, Archer tightened his grip on Silver's waist, careful to not get kicked or smacked on the face._

_"Come on, Silver. We have to make a move on-"_

_"I said let me go you big dumb dumb!"_

_"Hey!" Unfortunately for Archer, the boy was his boss' son._

_"Wait a minute," Ariana spoke, breaking the feud between boy and man, "I just remembered. Where's Xander?"_

_"Sneaaaa!" Right in the nick of time, another sound brought their attention to look up._

_And just like before, Xander perfectly landed on Petrel's face._

_"FUCK FUCK FUCKIN' OW MY FACE!" The purple-haired man sprawled on the floor, hands cupping his bruised face. Proton merely watched in boredom, showing not a glint of care for the poor human._

_Seeing the opportunity given, Silver took one sharp breathed and commanded, "Xander! Night Slash!"_

_"What the-" Before Archer could finish, the Sneasel obediently obliged and slashed his sharp claws on the man's arms. "OW!" Three deep lines of blood trickled on each arm. With pain shooting right to his brain, Archer unwarily released Silver, enabling the child to land on the ground and made a run for it._

_"Come on, Xander!" Silver ushered, legs moving as fast as he could toward the burning mansion._

_"Why you little…" Archer growled, body shaking as he cupped both his injured arms. "Come back here you little prick!"_

_Just before the man contemplated on risking his life and entering the deadly flames to catch Silver, he felt a harsh tug on his arm. Archer looked over his shoulder, only to see Ariana with a huge frown. "We have no time! We need to move!"_

_He pulled his arm away, only to regret as the wound stabbed him once again. "But our boss' son-"_

_"Giovanni and probably Emery is in that mansion! If they're there, obviously Silver will be safe. Now come on!" Proton shouted, getting quite impatient with the frustrating situation._

_Archer remained quiet, then turned to face the mansion. It was still burning. It was still being devoured. Teeth grinding in his pursed mouth, he released a hesitant scoff and followed his comrades._

Sir, please be careful.

* * *

_Red skies._

_Black gust._

_That was all Emery could see the second she stepped inside. Everything was black and red. Everything she ever owned were now dust and soot. The lower ground had lost most of its tiles, revealing giant holes of soil and flames. She forced a heavy gulp. Her feet slowly scooted around the area, careful not to step on any floor that could cause her to fall._

_Well, she was half-right._

Crack! _"Aaah!" she let out a scream as the tiles above plummeted down – inches before it could crush the living human's body. Emery gasped loudly, hands clutching her frantically pounding heart. "Oh Arceus…" She looked around, hoping to find a way to get deeper into the once beautiful house. But the amount of thick smoke tampered with her vision, making everything foggy and precisely unclear. A cough escaped her throat, feeling the foul fog sipping into her lungs. Cupping her mouth and nose with her hand, Emery prayed in her heart and saw what she was looking for: Purple static._

_Eyes spotting an opening, Emery mentally counted to three and dashed forward. A cracked statue blocked her way, a line of orange fire burning on its edges. Brown eyes squinting with tenacity, Emery plucked up all her strength and jumped for her life._

_Thankfully, she was able to get over it._

_Unthankfully, her landing was a huge hole._

_Emery tumbled like a barrel, body rolling down helplessly below. Finally, her body stopped on something hard and cold. She sat up slowly, hand holding her throbbing temple. "Ooh…" Her vision was from one image to three. Emery quickly shook her head, regretting afterward as another headache pounded her head. "My head…"_

_"Mrrr…"_

_A voice made her freeze. Instantly her head tilted up._

_There, floating a few feet away and surrounded with flames by his sides, were none other than Mewtwo._

_"Mewtwo…" Emery whimpered, soon forgetting the agonizing pain in her head. Hopping back to her feet and with mind solely focusing on the enraged legendary, Emery ran toward him. "Mewtwo- AAH!"_

_Her voice became a muffled scream as violet lightning zapped a foot before her, causing Emery to crash on her bum again. A gasp of numb pain shot her back, causing her teeth to grit tightly. She watched upward, seeing Mewtwo shooting a sharp glare at her. "Mewtwo…"_

_"Mrrrr…!" Mewtwo growled acidly, teeth clenching to a point where his jaw could strain. The genetic Pokémon raised his arm again, ready to launch a grim Shadow Ball at his startled victim. The form became vivid. His blank dead eyes glared acidly at her. A ruthless snarl was pulled, baring before the eyes of the shaken._

_"Mewtwo, please…It's me…"_

_That voice. Her voice. A faint glint in his dead eyes was shown. His growl still present, yet the orb slowly vanished into thin air. Sensing that she had dodged her doom – for the time being – Emery slowly propped back to her feet. She saw the tension in his jaw as he looked at her. She saw the strain on his iris-less eyes as it drilled into her gentle hazels._

_"Mewtwo," She called softly, one foot scooting forward, "I know you're still in there. I know you're fighting back. I'm sorry I ever left you…" A hint of guilt slipped off her tongue. "But now I'm here. It's okay, Mewtwo. I'm here. I'm your friend, remember? And I won't ever leave you behind…"_

Fr…iend…? _A thought entered her mind, voice deep and familiar. Though unintentional, a relieved smile curved her chapped lips. "Yes, it's me. Emery, your friend."_

Em…e…ry… _Another thought invaded. His mouth lowered to a confused frown. Mewtwo kept his vision on her, blind wrath steadily replaced with blank puzzlement. Though vague, a spot of tiny dots – irises – twinkled in his empty gaze. He saw her smile. He heard her voice. Memories of unclear images tapped in his mind, waking him from his brutal monstrosity._

_"Mewtwo…It's okay. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere…" Her voice shook his brain again, until finally, his arms remained limp by his sides._

_Her smile widened. Her white teeth flashed. As her head looked up at the floating, blank Pokémon, Emery inhaled one sharp breath and murmured, "Mewtwo, you're going to be fine."_

_"STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE YOU MONSTER!"_

* * *

_His heart stopped._

_His pulse froze._

_The moment Giovanni saw his beloved standing dangerously close to the destructive monster, his will to think rationally snapped out of his brain. His whole body started to tremble. Masks of pride and ego were quickly torn off his face, revealing the true fear of about to lose the person he loved._

_In all his 33 years of living, he was actually scared to the bone._

_Shaking hands aiming the cold metal gun at the airborne Pokémon, Giovanni manically yelled at the top of his lungs. "STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE YOU MONSTER!" She saw him turn, her eyes widening in baffling shock._

_"GIOVANNI NO-" Her words were instantly cut off as the gun triggered its bullet._

* * *

_He saw bright orange flames, snarling and clawing before the eyes of the innocent._

_He felt hot, the burning air licking his every flesh and sucking all his oxygen away._

_"STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE YOU MONSTER!" He heard his father._

_"GIOVANNI NO-" He heard his mother._

BANG! _He heard a gunshot._

_He saw the bullet rocket toward a shadow. It hit the dark mysterious being, making it fall limp on the ground. He saw his mother rushing to it, voice screaming something unknown for him to hear. He felt the Sneasel jumping off his shoulder, dashing for the panicking lady. He felt his whole body shock in absolute terror. He felt his eyes wet with frightful tears._

_Engulfed by fear and legs quickly dashing for his mother, he madly cried, "MAMA!"_

* * *

_"Silver?!" Giovanni's heart stopped a beat to see his child, in the flesh and unfortunately in the line of danger. Breathing was even unbearable as he soon realized the child was about to run toward his mother – and toward the heinous creature. "Silver no!" He screamed, hands quickly reaching out for the little boy's body. Luckily, Giovanni caught Silver by the waist, pulling his son close to his chest._

_"Mama, Mama, Mama!" Silver cried and shouted. He flailed and struggled, arms and legs punching and kicking crazily. All his eyes could see was his mother. All he ever wanted was to be safe in her arms._

_All he ever wished was this was all just a terrible nightmare. "MAMA!"_

* * *

_Emery felt like ice as she heard such a familiar voice. "No…" Mumbling and hoping that it was her mind playing tricks on her, she turned around._

_She was dreadfully wrong._

_There, flailing a few distances away from her, was none other than her beloved child. "Silver?!" Emery gasped in horror, breathing hitched to see Silver and Xander. "Why are they-"_

_"Mrrr…"_

_Mewtwo's voice snatched her attention once again. She felt an odd warmth on her palm as it was placed on Mewtwo's bloody arm. She heard a sound – wheezing and getting louder in seconds. "Mewtwo?" Emery turned to face the fallen Pokémon. Her mouth gaped to see his body, slowly enwrapped by a coat of purple light. His eyes were shut. His lips were pulled to a low growl. "Mewtwo! What's going on?! Mewtwo!"Quickly she shook his body, all while screaming for her friend's name. "Mewtwo wake up! Mewtwo!"_

_Suddenly, Mewtwo snapped his eyes open, revealing nothing but blank, empty, dark eyes._

_Her eyes met his. The world seemed to freeze for all of them. Time moved in eternal speed, recording the day that could never be changed._

Tick.

_"Mew…"_

Tock.

_"Two…"_

Tick.

_"MRRRRRRAAAAAWWWWGGGGHHH!"_

* * *

_A man, hugging their son close to his chest, quickly jumped and hid behind a fallen statue in the nick of time._

_A loyal Pokémon, reaching for the one he called 'Ranger', wasn't so lucky as he was immediately devoured by the sudden wave of unbearable light._

_A dangerous Pokémon, one who was forever created to be lost, burst a powerful, hazardous aura energy._

_A stunned woman, the only human who cared for the helpless Pokémon, was stripped off all flesh and bone in a matter of seconds._

* * *

_Everything was quiet. Everything was still. Fire still coated the area. Night soon consumed the once sunny day. A man and a boy lay still on the dirty ground. The boy woke up first, a low stifling groan escaping his torn lip. He held his throbbing temple, fingers feeling a slight swell on the left side. His other hand waved around at nothing in particular, still dizzy and spinning from the impact._

_Suddenly, he felt something beating._

_Quickly Silver opened his eyes and looked to his side. Shock stirred up to his brain to see Giovanni, lying unconsciously and unmoving. "Papa?!" he shouted, voice splitting a sob to see his father. "Papa? Papa!" Wasting no time, Silver began shaking his father's body, hoping deep in his heart that Giovanni would wake up._

_Five shakes later, another realization hit him._

_"Mama," Silver spoke blankly. His head moved around the burning room. Left and right his eyes went, scanning for the sight of his beloved mother. "Mama!" he screamed again, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Mama! Mam-"_

_Silver froze as he saw a grim shadow floating under the biggest pile of fire._

_Its body remained shrouded in darkness. Only its eyes were seen, colours were a violet blanks. It stared deep into Silver's wide, terror-stricken eyes. The shadow spoke nothing. He muttered nothing. Time moved slowly as the two met their gaze, one in fear and one in murderous emptiness._

_Without a peep, the shadow looked up in the dark sky and flew away._

_Silver remained motionless beside his father. His body felt cold as ice, compared to the situation they were in. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt as if everything around him was just a sick game of his mind. The boy slowly looked forward, silver eyes straight to the most gigantic wall of fire present._

_He wished his eyes were wrong, for Silver could see a torn brown cloth in the orange fire. "Ma…ma…?"_

_Once upon a time, there was a happy family._

* * *

Kotone gasped as loud as she could.

Her heart raced rapidly in her chest, like a hammer banging against a thin wall. She clutched her chest, mouth wheezing and gasping frantically.

She saw everything; all of Mewtwo's memories, the woman's memories, the man's memories, _her_ man's memories. All entered her mind like they were her owns. She gawked at the standing legendary, expression showing nothing but guilt and sorrow.

_Now you know,_ Mewtwo broke the heavy silence, _Now you know the pain of my past; what I've done. When I found solitude in Cerulean Cave, my mind was still a jumbled mess. I couldn't remember much nor could I think. But as few years passed by, all of them came to me bit by bit. Until finally, I learned my roots. I remembered that I was created, not born. I remembered being a savage brute._ He shook his head in disdain, fingers clenching together. _And what's worse, I remembered what I've done…_

His whole body began to tremble, tail twitching and curled between his legs. _I killed my friend. I killed the person who actually saw the good in me when even I doubted myself. You may say I had lost control back then, but even that is proven to be such a futile excuse. You saw what happen to you. I controlled you. I knew what I was doing. I treated you like a puppet. Only I had no power of controlling my own mind and body. I became a helpless spectator, watching as both you and I destroy everything in sight._ His teeth clenched harder in his mouth, growling a silent growl. _Just as I was watching myself kill the only person who believed in me…_

Mewtwo slammed his face into his palms. A single tear rolled down his cheek. _I am the sole reason why the boy is like this. I am the very reason why Silver has been suffering all this while._ His mind whimpered and sobbed. For the very first time, Mewtwo bared his vulnerability. For years he perfectly masked his sorrow, in hopes that no one – not even Kotone – would see the grief in him. But now, in the quiet halls of the hospital, Mewtwo had had enough. He couldn't bear the torture. He couldn't bear the guilt. He had felt both the ladies' heartbreaks. And it murdered him to realize the broken emotions they had were all because of him.

_I should have never existed…_ Mewtwo cried pathetically, shoulders shaking and falling.

Suddenly, he felt a tug on his neck.

Quickly the genetic Pokémon withdrew his hands away, only to realize that he couldn't move much. His body froze as Kotone pulled Mewtwo into a tight hug, tiptoeing even to meet his tall height.

"Don't say that…" He heard her mutter, her chin lying on his shoulder. "Don't ever say that you shouldn't exist. Just… don't…" Kotone slowly shook her head, mouth breathing heavily as a wave of emotions hit her heart. "Mewtwo, I… I didn't know how much you suffered all this time. I'm… I'm very sorry…"

Shock was the correct statement on Mewtwo's face. He expected disgust, anger, loathe, even hatred from the woman. Mewtwo had shown her his worse. He had literally given her his memories. So for Kotone to still accept him – let alone _apologize_ – it made the Pokémon speechless beyond wits. Seconds rolled by and finally Mewtwo shook his head. _Kotone I-_

"I know." She cut him off, knowing very well he wanted to deny. "I know it's weird for me to say sorry. I know what I saw. I know what you gave me. But I do feel bad. I'm your friend, Mewtwo. I should be there for you when you're feeling down. And Mewtwo," Breaking her hug, Kotone held his shoulders. She flashed a friendly smile, hazel eyes wet with tears. "You will always – always – be my friend. No matter what. Humans and Pokémon can't run away what they're destined to do. When everything is written, all we have to do is face the music."

She pursed her lips tightly, holding back another sob as she saw decades of regret consuming his eyes. "I don't care if you're created. I don't care if you've done bad in the past. No matter what you say, you're still a good Pokémon to me. Her death was unintentional. Silver's-" Her breathing became uneven as Kotone mouthed his name. "-Silver's life is never your fault. So stop blaming yourself."

Mewtwo merely listened as Kotone advised him. He stared at her in bewilderment, still unable to believe the fact that she was still consoling him.

"And Mewtwo…" Kotone murmured softly – sounding almost motherly in his ears. "In life, we are given second chances. So even though you can't fix your past, you can always fix your future…"

And just like that, Mewtwo saw Emery in her.

His growl lowered to a sad, shaken frown. His eyes were narrowed, tears streaming down to his chin.

_"A friend is someone who loves you for just who you are."_

This time, it was Kotone's turn to freeze as Mewtwo tugged her in a tight embrace. _Thank you…_ Mewtwo muttered woefully, arms wrapping around the petite woman's head. _Thank you…so much…_

She blinked in stupor, then flashed a tiny smile. Kotone returned the hug, hands patting the beating legendary's chest. Finally, a single giggle burst from her lips, sounding like little bells in Mewtwo's ears. "Anything for a friend, Mewtwo."

"Urghh…"

They froze.

Both eyes met; both having the same baffled, disbelieving expressions. "Did you…"

"Arghh… My h-head…"

They weren't fooled. Kotone wasn't deaf. It wasn't from Mewtwo. Heck, even he himself was glancing at the room. Quickly she spun around, facing the closed door. "Was it…" She stuttered foolishly, unable to finish her sentence. Her heart raced like it was about to detonate. Breathing seemed impossible each second. Another groan echoed from the other side, only increasing her anticipation.

Without wasting much time, Kotone barged toward the room and slammed the door open.


	28. 27

He fell.

He was falling in the white void of space. His body felt light. His mind felt free. Faster he fell into the abyss. Breathing seemed impossible. Air was non-existent at such a blank, empty territory. Gravity pulled him harder, letting his light body being dragged down by invisible, constricting tentacles.

Even so, he didn't mind.

He fell and he fell. And then, quickly forming below him was a hole of bright yellow light. His limp little body plunge into the beaming hole, until finally, he disappeared into extinction.

* * *

A loud, though short gasp escaped his mouth as Silver sat up straight. He gasped and panted heavily, as if relieving from being pushed off a cliff. Eyes to the left, he saw strange blinking machinery. He saw tubes which led to his wrist. He felt something covering his mouth and nose. Feeling suffocated, Silver quickly unstrapped the mask off his face. A cough wheezed from his mouth, feeling a slight numbness in his – _beating_ – chest.

"Urghh…" Silver groaned stiffly, teeth lightly clenching against one another. Slowly his eyes opened, continuing to scan around the place. Judging by the plain wallpapers, a single television, some white curtains, and especially the annoying beeping machine, Silver guessed he was in a hospital – again. "Just great…" He mumbled sourly, voice barely listenable even if one stood near him.

Suddenly, awareness slapped him on the face. He remembered everything. Team Rocket. The ray gun. The explosion. The break-in. His battle between the generals. Mewtwo.

Kotone.

"Kotone…" Silver muttered unwarily, eyes wide and staring crazily at nothing. He remembered seeing Kotone almost being squashed to her death. He remembered dashing to her rescue. He remembered taking the toll for his actions. He remembered fading into a pit of darkness.

He remembered Celebi. He remembered Xander. He remembered his mother. He remembered seeing the slight change in his timeline. He remembered being given a second chance. He remembered being hugged and loved by his mother for the last time.

He remembered everything.

"Koto- Argh…" Silver shouted, then flinched as a headache hammered his head. The man held his throbbing, bandaged temple, fingers feeling the soft fabric. "Arghh… My h-head…" The pain seemed to wither away in seconds, yet Silver still felt uncomfortable at the swell. Both hands went to his head as he looked down, hoping that the pain would just go away for good.

_Slam!_

Silver jumped on his bed as a loud slamming sound hit the walls. As a result, another headache welcomed his misery. "Shit…" He cursed under fainted breath, one eye opened to peek at the person responsible for his nagging pain.

But just before he could think of yelling, Silver froze to see the person on the doorframe.

There she was, standing and gawking as if she saw a ghost. Her hair was free and flowing. Her cloths seemed big and a mess. His heart skipped a beat. His silver eyes met her widening hazels. A gulp slipped down his throat. His lips parted, wanting to form whether a smile or a dumb chortle.

Because as he gazed into her eyes, Silver knew: he was now looking at the 'real' Kotone.

"Kotone-"

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

_Plop!_

Silver remained motionless as he thought time was moving too fast. Next thing he knew, Kotone was wrapping her arms around his neck. Her head plopped on his shoulder, nose pressing against the thin green cloth. Sounds of sobs echoed inside the empty room. One remained in his shocked state while the other continued to mutter her blessed prayers.

"You're awake…" She wheezed in blissful disbelief. "You're actually awake!" Her hug tightened around his neck, unaware that she was accidentally cutting off Silver's air. Tears began streaming down her face, dripping and dropping like clear crystal droplets. She knelt on his lap, body trembling to feel the steady beat of his heart. "Silver…" Kotone breathed heavily, unable to verbalize any human words. "You're aliv-"

She stopped.

Reality dropped on her head like stacks of concrete bricks.

He was awake. Yes. He was alive. Definitely yes. But did he remember who he is? Did he remember who she is?

Even if he did, did he forgive her for what she had done?

Her brief, perfect little world disappeared like dust. Her eyes that gleamed a ray of hope a few seconds ago diminished to pitch black. Slowly Kotone released her hug, arms sliding from his neck and falling to her sides. Her eyes looked down, feeling petrified to even glance at his face. Silver didn't even move a muscle. He just sat there in silence, body still since she barged inside the room. And honestly, that only worsened her heartache.

_He's mad_, she glumly thought, breathing hitched as she inhaled sharply. _He's mad at me. He will never forgive me for what I've done to him…_ Her thoughts shattered her rationality, slowly devouring every flesh of optimism she had left.

_I did this to him._ Her body felt weak.

_I almost killed him._ Her brain felt numb.

_He will never forgive me._ Her throat felt nauseous.

_He will never take me back._ Her mind felt faint.

Everything attacked her all at once. Every word destroyed her bit by it. Finally, Kotone couldn't bear it any longer. She knew Silver wouldn't want her company. She knew he wouldn't need her presence.

As much as she loathed thinking about it, she terrifyingly knew: Her worst nightmare had turned into a bloody reality. _He hates me-_

Kotone froze as something – someone – pulled her closer.

Arms tightly linked around her delicate shoulders. His chin lay on her left shoulder, shivering mouth close to her ear. Though bandaged, bangs of his red hair were able to dangle and cover his closed eyes. Quickly his legs were spread apart, making Kotone fall and land between his legs.

Kotone froze as her petite body was being locked in his grip. She stayed perfectly still as her hands pressed against his chest. Hazel eyes gone wide, she managed a gulp as blank confusion whirled in her mind.

"Kotone…"

She swore her heart stopped once that voice – one that she craved to hear for so long – rang melodiously in her ears. "Arceus… Kotone…" He murmured once again, his warm breath gently caressing her ear. Kotone gave a light shiver, her skin prickling to feel the warmth and touch. "Kotone… Kotone… Kotone…!" It was his turn to chant her name over and over, voice getting slightly louder each second. Finally, Silver broke the hug, though arms still gripping her shoulders.

Here she was; right in front of him. He felt her soft skin. He saw the faint tears in her eyes. He heard her heavy breathing. He smelt the sweet scent of vanilla on her messy hair. Here she was – alive and breathing. The lady of his dreams. The light of his life. The meaning of his existence.

The patch of his broken abyss.

"It's you…" He mumbled breathlessly, a smile slowly creeping up his lips. "It's actually…really…you...!" A peck bestowed on the tip of her nose. "Kotone…Kotone…!" He kissed her left eye. He kissed her right. Soon enough, his lips travelled everywhere. Every part of her face, every inch of it was quickly caressed by his pale lips. Her cheeks. Her forehead. Her eyebrows. Over and over. Continuously he kissed her while Kotone sat there in utter bewilderment.

Finally, his lips stopped to the one place he ached the most: Her lips.

Softly he brushed his parted mouth onto hers, slightly shivering with anticipation. A hint of dry chuckle wheezed from Silver, quite amused with himself to be nervous about kissing the one he had been with for so long. "Kotone…" Just like that, Silver kissed Kotone, gently yet infused with unbearable passion. He took one sharp breath, and so did she. Their eyes fluttered to a shut. His arms snaked to her waist. He could taste her. He could taste the hypnotizing flavour that was her. His legs soon wrapped her body as well, in the end locking her in his tight embrace.

Time froze still. The world ceased its spin. All that was alive were them. Seizing the moment was all what Silver wanted. Retrieving his revived soul was what he never intended.

Having the second chance in loving the person he ever so loved was all he ever needed.

A quiet purr burst their moment of peace. Slowly Silver broke the kiss, both now heavily panting at the lack of air and intense wave of emotions. He opened his eyes, watching as Kotone meekly peeked at him. "I love you…" Silver muttered lovingly, voice huskily steady as the calm cold winds of December. The man tilted his head slightly, letting his lips gently brush against hers. "I love you so much…"

For a brief second, she actually thought it was a dream.

But that dream popped like a bubble. And all that ever came out of it was the true miracles of reality.

"I love you too…" Kotone mumbled quietly, trying her very best to hold back a sob. It was pointless, however. For her tears were tiny streams of crystals. And her smile curved as wide it as it could be, almost stretching to her ears.

He was alive. He was breathing. And he was actually confessing his true love to her.

"I love you so much, Silver." Unable to bear the emotional pain, she pounced for a tight hug, yet arms carefully wrapped around his neck. "Oh Arceus I love you so much!"

Silver laughed for the first time, so sincere and brimmed with joy. He returned her hug and gave a quick peck on her cheek. Finally, the room echoed with their laughter and tears. Happiness and excitement lightened the area, becoming the beautiful rays of evidence for the beautiful pair.

'Silver!'

Both halted, though arms still close around one another. Two pairs of eyes went to the door, only to see a flock of shocked Pokémon and two obviously baffled human beings.

'Silver Silver Silver Silver SILVER!' Feraligatr roared excitingly, ignoring the fact that he was in a hospital. As a matter of fact, Silver's whole team began roaring and barking in glee as they dashed toward the bed.

'SILVEERRR!' Sneasel reached his trainer first. Quickly he wrapped his furry little arms on Silver's chest, head snuggling on his chest. 'Silver! You're alive!' Soon enough, the other five crowded around him, surrounding Silver with their various hugs and kisses. However, compared to before, all were very cautious this time, careful not to hurt their beloved Silver.

But that never stopped them from crying out loud. 'Silver! Silver, Silver! You're alive! MY BRO IS ALIVE!' Feraligatr barked and cooed, taking the advantage of his height and strength to wrap his arms around the team and Silver – even Kotone. 'I'm so thankful you're alive! Man oh man OH MAN!'

"Fer…a…li…gatr…"

The sound of Silver's suffocation snapped his attention. Quickly the starter released his grip, making the others breathe for air. All eyes were on Silver, who lightly fisted his chest and eyes looking downwards. 'Uh oh…' Guilt bit Feraligatr's scales. A whimper exhaled through his mouth. He twiddled his claws, eyes averting away from the sight of his trainer. All was silent. Heartbeats were racing. Feraligatr stood by the bed, eyes closed and mind ready to endure the angry yells of accidentally hurting Silver.

Suddenly, he felt a soft pat on his left arm.

Feraligatr quickly opened his eyes, seeing a smiling redhead patting his arm. "I miss you too, old buddy." Silver explained calmly, mouth forming the most honest smile Feraligatr had ever seen. The water starter blinked in gaping disbelief. Silver wasn't mad for crushing him. He wasn't angry either. Heck, he didn't look a least bit annoyed. Feraligatr soon realized that he wasn't the only one who thought that way. All of Silver's team gawked at the chuckling human, amazed at the newfound calmness coating his personality.

Hell, if he could take a wild guess, Feraligatr knew Typhlosion's jaw must be dropping low now to see the unbelievable scene.

Either way, to see the sincere smile on Silver's face, it was a huge blessing for Feraligatr. 'DUUUDE!' he roared again, once again hugging Silver's body. He swayed his body and tail, clearly flaunting his mirth and joy. A short sigh slurred from Silver's mouth as he willingly let his body being hugged like a doll. His arms were locked in his Pokémon's grip. His ears were sadly close to Feraligatr's ear-piercing barks of excitement.

And honestly, he wouldn't want it any other way.

The others cracked a laugh at the moment. All crowded around Silver. Only Kotone stayed in her position, sitting before Silver who was happily hugging and joking around with his Pokémon. Seeing this only made her smile grew wider; her heart beating faster. Her cheeks tinted a rosy shade of red as her hazel eyes lingered on the radiant face of her beloved. "Welcome home, Skitty…"

Soon enough, White and the other Pokémon joined. The room turned into a bustling place of excitement. All laughed. All giggled. Even claps were heard. Everyone felt a sense of delight that their life was slowly turning into a happy ending.

Well, all except one.

"Are you not going to speak to him?"

Mewtwo cast a glance at the tall man beside him. Both stood near the doorframe, unmoving and still. 'Why should I speak to the human man? He does not understand me.' A frown curved his lips as Mewtwo gazed upon the redheaded patient. 'And he may never will…'

N looked at Mewtwo. Both his hands held his elbows, palms slightly sliding up to his arm. His heart felt heavy to see such a crestfallen expression on the legendary. Even though he literally could not feel the pain just as he could with Zekrom, N knew Mewtwo was bearing all of the suffering alone, and the genetic Pokémon was slowly reaching his limit. "I know you have the ability to let him read your mind." N sighed slowly, emerald eyes in front of the crowd. "And I know he will understand once you slowly talk to him."

A dry, sarcastic chuckle bounced into the man's ears. 'I am amused by your dedicated words, human. But assurance of our truce is faint compared to the frail confidence you have given me.'

"There's always a second chance, remember?"

Stunned silence shot Mewtwo right in the heart. He remained quiet, either speechless or given up on arguing with the green-haired man. Slowly his eyes looked downwards, gazing at nothing as his mind reached a blank state.

A soft squeeze was felt on his left shoulder, making Mewtwo look at N, whose mouth was forming a supportive grin. "After the horrifying incident that you two have been through, he's alive now. And so are you." Before N could stroll off toward the cheering group, his grin evolved to a boyish smile. "Both of you are given second chances. I hope you and him do not waste that chance."

As soon as N left the quiet legendary, Mewtwo had some time alone to think. His arms were slowly crossed against his chest. A heavy sigh exhaled through his mouth, as if releasing all the brutal pressure life had thrown at him. His ears could hear all the voices in the room. Laugh. Cheers. Giggles. Cackles.

But most of all, he could perfectly hear the heart of Kotone.

How happy she was. How jolly she felt. Finally, he could feel that ray of sunshine in her mind. Finally, he could hear the true optimism that resembled her. Finally, her heart that was once shattered into oblivion was now miraculously healed as if it never shed a crack.

And it was all because of one man.

His purple eyes wandered and stopped to a certain human's face. Silver seemed too distracted by the swarm of Pokémon. His smile was still intact, however. His laugh was the most genuine sound Mewtwo had ever heard from him.

But one thing was certain: Mewtwo could vividly feel the anxiety of Silver knowing he was in the room.

'A second chance…'

* * *

Silence.

Only the clock echoed its motion, recording every single detail of every living moment. The room was quiet once again. All were out, either eating or bathing now that the worst had been avoided. Only two creatures were present in the room. One was a human while the other was a Pokémon. The human sat on his bed, hands tightly gripping on the white sheet of the furniture. The Pokémon stood a few feet away, arms rigid on his sides and head turned away.

The clock had proven that silence had been their only conversation for the last 10 minutes.

"Look," A heavy, disgruntled sigh escaped through Silver's mouth, breaking the intense awkwardness that was wafting around them, "I know… I… Damn it…" A hand went to his head, fingers pushing back the red bangs of his hair. Where should he start? How the hell should he even begin the conversation with a Pokémon whose language he could not decipher? What was the Pokémon thinking? What was he going to say? Hundreds of questions occupy Silver's brain, soon enough creating a slight headache in his left hemisphere.

Mewtwo looked down and up and left and right; anywhere that didn't include him staring directly at Silver's face. His mouth remained silent for the past minutes – not that the man could understand him, though. Fingers twitching coarsely in his palms, Mewtwo calmed his unsteady heartbeat. A flinch hit his forehead. A cringe bit his pursed lips. The longer he stood before the young man's presence, the more he could feel a strong, intense aura.

The aura of the devil that created him. And the aura of the angel who befriended him.

How funny it was, Mewtwo thought, for two completely different human beings to be in love and tied so easily. How puzzling fate was, that a child could be born by a pair that bore the perfect definition of 'black and white'. Here, sitting a few distances away from him was the child of the friend he dearly respected, and the child of the man he solely loathed. How conflicted he felt to be standing between the line of right and wrong. That line caused him to stay quiet. That thin line of silver made him uneasy, confused on the human's true personality.

"I forgive you."

Those words came crashing down, causing Mewtwo to stop and stare forward. Silver sat quietly on his bed, eyes never intending to meet his purple gaze. "I said I…" A low sigh of discontent breathed through gritted teeth, "forgive you…"

Though Mewtwo could not see the expression that beheld upon Silver's face, the Pokémon could perfectly sense the sincerity hidden within. "Look, I know you're still glooming about that…that day." Silver's mouth quivered as he began to speak. "But like it or not, it happened years ago, and there's nothing we can do to take it all back." He stopped for a second, heart as if falling to the bottom of his stomach. "Even if we cry tears of blood, it will never change…"

A low frown curved Mewtwo's tightened lips. He could sense his sadness. He could sense his sorrow. The pain Silver felt right now deemed unbearable for mortal hearts. Yet this certain mortal lived until now, walking the grounds of Earth with eyes pathetically creating a fragile fantasy of his demise.

Even though Silver said that there was no way to rewrite the past, his superior mind still foolishly wished for such nonsense.

"But… that doesn't mean we have to suffer until we die or something…"

His words once again snatched his attention. Frown slowly turning to one of hinted confusion, Mewtwo stared at Silver. A dry chuckle bounced of the redhead's lips. He raised his right hand, sullen silver eyes blankly staring at his palm. "About what happened that day, I know it wasn't your fault. It never was. It was just a horrible accident. You just wanted a friend. You just needed help. And my…" Silver felt his whole body stiffen and his breathing clogged immediately. "My mama was there to save you. You were lost. You were frustrated. You were angry. You were sad. You were so just unstable. You needed someone to hold you into pieces and make sure that you don't break." His hand slowly clenched into fists, nails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. "In other words, you were me…"

Purple eyes widened in shock at such a statement. He saw the man tremble mercifully, head down and hair brushing to the sides of his face. "Actually, you are still me." Silver looked up the ceiling, crimson bangs still shielding the broken images his eyes bestowed. "Now that I think about it, you and me are pretty much the same. Here I am talking to you about forgetting the past while I myself can't bring the damn subject around without thinking of slicing my own throat and play dead for good." A little, spiteful laugh wheezed through his mouth, voice miserably hiding the obvious heartache.

Silver may be laughing, but his laugh was one of endless torture. He may be enlightening a smile, but the single tear trickling down his cheek was enough to shatter the mask he put on for years.

Finally, his pitiful laugh reached to a halt. Mewtwo had said nothing for minutes, and that wasn't a surprise for Silver. Silver eyes back on the white sheets, he released a faint sigh. "I know we both can't forget it. I don't blame you. But we just…We can't let it ruin our lives. We may lose our past."

_"I will always – always – be with you."_

Suddenly, a twitch of a smile touched the edges of his lips. "But we still have the future, right?" Slowly he turned his head to his side, the corners of his eyes meeting the shocked Pokémon's face. "I mean, come on, you and I met for a reason. She-" He stopped as the image of Kotone danced in his mind. Out of reflex, his smile began to beam its honesty. "We've met her. And now we're basically, kinda, you know, stuck together. So…yeah…" His words turned into rambling balderdash, voice getting lower and lower until none was verbally understood.

_"I'm so proud of you, my son."_

Finally, his smile grew wider, wiping off the grief that stayed stitched on his face. "So, I forgive you. A clean slate. A fresh start. Let bygones be bygones." Silver stared as he lightly fisted his left palm with his right fist. His smile lingered for quite a while, actually showing a glint of longed joy. "You're not a monster. You have friends and family now. You're Kotone's friend and Pokémon. And rest assured; you're definitely Mama's friend."

If not for the fact that they were the only ones in the room, Mewtwo thought he had gone deaf and heard it wrong. His eyes were round as violet saucer plates. His mouth remained shut however. But his eyes revealed the shock he had never expected. Silver was smiling. He was happy. His words rang in Mewtwo's ears like a record tape. Only the more he heard it, the more his mind accepted the wonders of disbelief.

Emery saw him as a friend. And so did her beloved son.

Finally, he himself felt a smile rising up his lips. _Thank you._

Silver stopped, smile immediately erased from his face. Head quickly looked around, eyes wandering at the ceilings and walls. "Who's there?"

_I am._

His heart skipped a beat to hear such a deep, hypnotizing voice. No matter how many times he scanned, the area was empty but just them two. "No way…" With no intention to finish off his sentence, Silver cast a gaping stare at the standing legendary.

Mewtwo knew Silver was utterly dumbfounded. And he couldn't judge him. Instead, a little grin was plastered on his face. _I can feel that you are speechless beyond my telepathic ways of conversing._

No answer was given, and Mewtwo couldn't blame that either. All Silver ever did was gape and gawk, mouth hanging low to obtain such a rare moment. _I wish to thank you on forgiving me. And I wish to thank you deeply for…being my friend. _He gave a single nod as a polite way of saying his thanks. With gentle violet eyes meeting the human's baffled silver's, Mewtwo cast a soft smile. _You are much like your mother. And for that, I am honourably grateful to have this second chance with her offspring._

Silver couldn't believe it. He was listening clearly, but he could not believe it. The fact that he was able to read Mewtwo's mind was one thing, but being told that he resembled a lot like his dearly departed mother was a whole new level of amazement. In less than a minute, a nice shade of red tinted the man's face, showing off the dash of boyishness in him. "I…Err…" Quickly he looked away, lips pursed tightly and fingers clutching the white sheets. "T-thanks… I guess."

Amusement definitely tickled Mewtwo's bones to see such an expression from Silver. Once again he gave a single nod, though this time looking rather formal as he placed his right arm on his stomach. _Thank you once again, young one._

"I love you and always have, my beloved Silver…"

The mental voice of Mewtwo's and the ringing words of his mother echoed at the same time. Silver looked down, his hair again acting as curtains to his face. His heart raced. His eyes soaked. Only, instead of woe and misery, tears of bless and bliss coated each sweet dew. "Thank you…" Both didn't say a word after that, but both needed not to say any.

Because both knew, for the first time in their lives, they had never felt so much alive.


	29. 28

Stars decorated the black vast sky, welcoming night as its majestic sight. Many were asleep in their houses and nests and holes and caves. Some were awake and on the prowl, wings flapping and legs dashing through the many woods and cities.

The city of Goldenrod shined brightly, boastfully declaring their title as the most beautiful city in Johto. Their building twinkled like the stars above. Many lights coloured the wide area, shades both dim and bright. A tall apartment stood proudly in the middle of the city. And on top of it all, a fabulous yet quaint penthouse became the building's pride.

Lights flickered open as Kotone entered her room. A knapsack was carried over her left shoulder, careful not to drop the contents in it. Her lips remained quiet since they left the hospital. Her eyes were drooping red as well, preferably from all the sleepless nights she went through. Slowly she dropped the sack near her closet, eyes blankly staring without a sound.

Silver followed suit, silver eyes calmly staring at her. Finally after being held in the hospital for six days since his relief from the coma, Silver was allowed to return home. That news alone should bring a sense of joy and serenity.

But ever since their brief yet passionate reunion, Kotone became tight-lipped like a mute child. And unfortunately, worry dominated what was supposed to be the happiest moment of his life.

He watched as Kotone walked – slumped – to her dresser. He saw her face, crestfallen and sullen as if all hope was lost. Her eyes were overtaken by colours of broken red. Her cheeks were thin and pale. He glanced down her body. Though torso being clad in quite a large shirt and sweatpants, he could still see the bony features that were present on her arms and legs.

A frown curved his lips. He knew she still felt guilty. He knew she was still beating herself around the bush.

Pain was inevitable in her bones, and he could feel it as well.

She didn't turn around. Her back faced him. Her head was down, avoiding the shattered images in the mirror. Without a sound, he took a few steps forward, walking toward the woman he swore to love as if she was a life of his own. Arms reaching slowly, Silver took one sharp breath.

* * *

"Kotone…"

His voice hauled her back to reality. His touch was little jolts of comfort, stabbing every inch of her bare skin. Kotone looked upwards, hazel eyes on the mirror in front of her. She saw as Silver wrapped his arms around her delicate arms. She blinked as the tall man placed his shut eyes on her shoulder. Muffled sounds came from his mouth, making no sense to the lady's ear. She pursed her lips, confused on whether to say a peep or not.

"Damn it…" Finally an understandable word entered her ears, though not the ones she preferred to hear. Silver looked forward; eyes meeting her averting hazels in the mirror. "Why can't you look at me?" Slight agitation bit his tongue. However, he knew better than to make his woman sadder than she already was. The idea was to make Kotone happy – not the complete opposite.

She didn't say a word, only breaths of both humans became their communication. Eyes sliding to the left, her fingers nervously fumbled against one another.

A heavy sigh hissed through his lips. "Okay then." Standing up straight, Silver held her shoulders and turned her around. "Look at me," he murmured gently, voice calm as a flowing river. To his dismay, she did not comply. "Kotone…" Silver whispered again, legs bent and head tilted to try and meet her gaze. "Look at me…"

Finally, the corners of her eyes took a peek at his face. She heard and saw the full concern conquering his voice and expression. It both made her heart flutter in love and stomach churn in guilt. No matter how many times she convinced herself, a tiny part of her wouldn't shake off the fact that she brought pain – near-death – to him. Quickly she looked away, lips trembling as she held back the need to cry.

Though there were no sounds of sobbing, Silver could perfectly hear the sounds of incoherent mumbling.

And believe it or not, Silver actually thought that it was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

Just like that, with a sneaky grin, he hatched a plan. "Guess you don't love me anymore huh-"

Well that worked better than expected. "I LOVE YOU!" Kotone screamed out of reflex, hazel eyes wide as plates and fists close to her beating chest. Compared to minutes before, Silver felt like a spotlight had been shone above him, the light being her beaming eyes and full attention.

Kotone froze as she realized what she had said. Immediately her face was heated in bright red, colour rising up to her forehead. She looked away, fists cupping her mouth. She stammered and swayed around, panic beginning to act as direct impulse.

Silver merely stood there in shock, mouth forming a dumb, confused grin. Kotone continued to fluster dumbly, eyes shooting left and right and right and left; anywhere that didn't mean meeting his gaze.

A few turns of her head later, his dumbfounded twitch turned into a curling smirk.

Kotone froze as she felt his fingers on her chin. She felt his thumb gently caressing her soft skin. Slowly he propped her chin up, giving her no choice but to face the tall redhead. Before any words could be voiced by any of them, Kotone felt his lips tenderly pressing against hers.

Both eyes fluttered to a shut, wishing that the absolute moment would be frozen still. Her lips were tender cold, gently pressing against his warm mouth. She heard and felt as Silver took one sharp breath, a lustful growl emitting as he kissed deeper. His hands slid to the back of her waist, pulling her closer like his life depended on it. A quiet squeak purred from her mouth as Kotone felt his fingers slyly slipping and dancing into her huge shirt.

His touch, oh how much she missed it. Her skin, oh how much he craved it. His closed eyes were scrunched tighter, remembering the pain of almost losing her forever. Their lips were apart for a few seconds, heated breath slapping each other's noses. "Kotone…" Before she could have a chance to respond, Silver pressed his lips against hers again. His hands were already snaked to the back of her neck, the shirt being pulled up until it almost revealed her breast.

His breath was getting heavier. His hunger began to churn violently in his stomach.

Her breath was low and shaking. Her body began to shudder in tempted desire.

Suddenly, Silver broke the kiss, though mind urging him to linger a little longer – or bring it further. Showing acts of hesitance, he forced himself to remove his hands from inside her shirt. Silver took a deep breath, nostrils inviting the scent sweet of her hair and skin. Her scent was making it hard for him to think rationally. Though it wasn't much of a worry to him on most days, tonight, he had something else to focus on. Opening his hungry silver eyes, he stared at Kotone, whose face was still crimson as tantalizing flames.

Two heartbeats later, Kotone slowly opened her left eye, looked up, and meekly peeked at his face.

Good Arceus if she kept that cute act up, Silver was afraid he might really lose it and ravish her right on the spot.

"Kotone…" He sighed a long sigh, releasing all the pent up emotion that was bottling inside his heart. "I… Come here." Taking her hand, Silver gently ushered Kotone to sit on the bed. Both laid their bums, side by side with fingers intertwining against one another.

Silence became their atmosphere. Kotone glanced by her side, seeing as Silver nervously fidgeted in his seat. His lips were sucked and puckered a few times. His eyes were down on the carpet, mind however obviously not about complimenting the bright choices of her furniture. His right hand firmly gripped her hand, and his left hand was tapping the bed with uneven taps.

"Silver…?" Kotone broke the stillness. Slowly she bent forward, eyes trying to meet his gaze. "Are you okay?"

She froze as her question was answered with another. "Remember when you said… When I asked…" A heavy breath exhaled through his mouth. "When I asked… How can you even love a monster…?"

He knew her eyes were widening to hear such a question. He felt her grip on his hand tightening, as if giving him the assurance he needed. "Silver, I-"

"I know what you said," he replied, cutting her off with a dry chuckle. "You never saw me as a monster. You said that you never see me as something so inhuman. Nobody's perfect, right? People change and all that jizz." His grip loosened as he looked down, eyes dimming a sullen glow. "But I lie if I say that I don't see myself as a bad guy anymore."

She remained silent as he explained. "You saw everything years ago. You knew stuff about me that I'm not very proud of until this day. You can say the only person that knows me better is you." His hand slid away, palm frailly placed by his side. "And yet, I… I didn't tell you the exact truth." His fingers bent into knuckles, nails digging inside the cotton bed sheet. "All this while, I hid the only thing that I'm scared of. I thought that maybe, maybe, if I keep it quiet and pretend like it never happened, maybe it can leave me alone and I can finally start something new."

His fists clenched tighter, as if ripping the cotton in his grip. "But look what it brought us. I had you either targeted or brainwashed. I died-" Silver stopped for a brief moment as he realized his choice of words. "I almost died. Got in a damn hospital twice and made you worry like hell."

A gulp slipped down his aching throat. He needed not to see her face to know that she was feeling utterly crestfallen. "So like it or not, even if you do see me as a good person, I'm still a bad person. I'm like bad luck." Rueful silver eyes stared at his palm. "And like all bad lucks, I always bring the ones I love to despair."

Her body shook and trembled. Tears streamed down her cheeks once again to hear such a heart-breaking confession. She hated seeing him suffer. She hated seeing him being in a state of depression. Silver had had enough. Ever since birth, fate had painted him a cruel, unforgivable colour. Oh how she wished she could erase it and rewrite anew. Oh how she wished she could help Silver in seeing the good in life, even if it meant blinding him from the monstrous images of reality. Anything. Everything. She wished she could turn back time. She wished she could remove the pain that scarred his fragile heart. She wished-

"But every bad luck has its good luck."

Her mind reached a silence as he spoke. Quickly Kotone stared at Silver, whose lips were flashing a small, sincere smile. "I have you. You believed in me when I didn't. You trusted me even when I lied. You always cheered me up when I'm down for the count, even when it was you who defeated me in battles." A dry chuckle wheezed through his mouth. The back of his right hand softly patting his left palm, Silver wondered, "Like I said before, you're basically an idiot for sticking with me that long."

Sadness was replaced with slight irritation in seconds to hear his statement. "Hey!" Kotone belted, mouth forming a low frown. She knew Silver said that out of depression, but that still vexed her no less.

But before Kotone could open her mouth and practically nag at his ear, Silver suddenly continued. "But then again, maybe I'm the idiot who doesn't even realize how lucky I am to have you…"

Her expression changed in a blink, shock wearing every corners of her face. Exhaling one slow breath, Silver turned his head and gazed into her shining hazel eyes. "I love you. I always have. I was just scared to admit it. It's just…everyone I love just…disappears like that and leaving me lost like some blind baby Kangaskhan." He held her hand, gently squeezing her palm. Silver scooted a bit closer to the woman, eyes still focused on her. "But I love you. And I'll say this right here right now, Kotone Soul. The last thing I want is losing you." Inching closer, he kissed her forehead.

"I need you." He kissed both the edge of her eyes.

"I want you." He kissed the button tip of her nose.

"I love you." His lips finally stopped to her lips, pressing briefly yet enough to send mesmerizing passion in their bones.

Suddenly, all the romantic atmosphere popped like a bubble once he heard her girlish giggle.

Quite startled, Silver broke the kiss and gawked at the woman in stupor. Kotone began laughing in glee, fingers cupping her smiling mouth. A sudden rush of red painted the man's face. His heart raced faster, threatening to burst out of his chest any minute. "I-I… Stop laughing!" Silver ordered, hoping that his voice sounded convincingly frightening enough.

But instead, it only revealed utter, adorable bashfulness.

That didn't help as it only made her laugh louder. She held her aching stomach, unable to hide the ticklish numbness. Her face was flushed with amusement, cheeks showing hints of roses. Finally, the sound of her angelic voice bounced off the walls. Finally, she was smiling as if there was no tomorrow. Finally, she was back to her old self: Happy, always laughing, and brimmed with sunshine and rainbows.

Even though those are the things that Silver miss the most, he now remembered why he hated expressing any strong emotions. "S-s-shut up!" he exclaimed angrily – which still sounded like a timid squeak.

A few torturing seconds later, finally she calmed down. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kotone apologized with a single wave of her hand. Silver scoffed in annoyance to hear her insincere apology, seeing that she was still coughing off a few giggles in between.

"It's just, you've changed, Silver. And I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. Trust me. That's great. And no matter who you are, I will always love you." Kotone coughed a meek giggle, eyes peeking at the sulking redhead. Flashing a sheepish smile with cheeks rosy red, she chimed, "I'm so happy to see you like this." She leaned forward and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Though arms still crossed and lips still pouting, she could perfectly see the face of shock when she kissed him. But thankfully to Silver, she could not see his heart which felt like it was about to explode into a million fireworks.

Looking away with face as hot as the sun, Silver quietly stuttered an embarrassed, "W-whatever…" He continued to sulk as Kotone beamed another ticklish fit of giggles. Soon enough, he himself formed a sly smile. Lightly chewing the inside of his cheeks, Silver added, "There is one thing though that I want to do."

"Oh, and what is that?" Kotone asked in amusement, face radiating such a joyful glow.

But her smile was immediately wiped off her face once she heard, "I need to kick your ass."

Kotone blankly gaped, mouth hanging low. She stared as it was now his turn to laugh in sheer entertainment. "What."

Silver looked to his side, eyeing the brunette who flaunted the most priceless expression. He laughed cheerfully, flashing his white set of teeth. "Remember what I said to you before?" Hands awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, he looked away as a sign of embarrassment. "Well, actually, it was more of me screaming to you… But still!"

Kotone looked at him in confusion. An eyebrow raised on her forehead, showing the exact amount of puzzlement to the redhead.

Biting the insides of his lips, Silver blew a long sigh and returned her gaze. "When we first met, I said that I am the world's greatest Pokémon trainer. Actually, it was more like a promise than a statement."

His words continued to bring her to a stupor. Still, the memory began to enter her mind, refreshing her of the second time they met. A finger moved to her mouth, tapping her lips as she pondered for a moment.

Just by looking at her face, it was enough to enlighten Silver's mood. The man gave a gentle smile, expression softening to one of endearment. "It's a promise I made to Mama. I once said to her that I will be the strongest trainer ever and I will be nice to Pokémon." A sarcastic, spiteful chuckle bounced off his lips. "Well, that second one was definitely broken."

A heavy sigh replaced his ridiculed tone. Silver eyes glanced at the ceiling, mind wandering off to his childhood. "But I'm going to make that up. I opened up to my Pokémon. I opened up to you. So it won't be that hard to ease up with others, right?"

Silence was all that could be heard from her. But he knew it he shouldn't worry this time, for her silence allowed him the ease the confession that burdened his heart and mind. "And about that first promise…" It was now Silver who redeemed his quiet moment. She saw his hand trembled. She saw his lips being sucked and lightly bitten by his teeth. She saw the slight twitch in the corner of his right eye.

Those acts alone only meant one thing: Silver was getting nervous about something.

"Silver?" Kotone asked slowly, one hand moving to his shaking fists. Slowly she bent forward and met her gaze. The second she did, Silver looked away and averted her gaze. That was enough to strengthen the curiosity peaking in her. "Silver, come on. Tell me. What about the first promise?"

A few ticking seconds later, Silver finally gave in. He let out a long breath, calming the hectic heartbeat in his chest. "I had this thought for a while now. You see," His hands gripped her hand, bringing it right between his cold palms. "I…have complete trust over my team. They trust me, and I know we can work as a team. Plus, with all the battles I had with you – I hate to admit it – but I kinda learned a lot. I finally got to beat you sometimes. And I finally got to defeat Lance and other trainers in Kanto and Johto."

"So that's why, I was thinking, that I should challenge the other Champions in other regions." Those words nevertheless startled Kotone. Her hazel eyes were sparkling round. She knew Silver was a bit – okay maybe extremely – competitive, but never in her mind did it cross about her former rival competing against the other Champions.

"My Pokémon are ready. I will battle all the gym leaders and their Champions. I am going to face Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kanto, even your cousin from Unova," A cocky grin curved his lips, "if she's still Champion of her region, of course."

He gave a small laugh as Kotone playfully slapped her hand. "Unova has a new Champion, but she can still kick your butt, you know."

Silver gave a face of shock as he heard the news. "Really? She was dethroned that quickly?" He burst into another gleeful fit as she gave another childish swat on his shoulder. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry."

"You should be." Kotone stuck out her tongue, cheeks puffing like a little girl.

Once again, his smile curved to sheer affection. "And that also means defeating you too, you know." His voice softened to a murmur, unwarily bringing her hand closer to his chest. "I love you, but I need to bring you down to reach that 'strongest trainer ever' title."

Kotone giggled in bashfulness, as if Silver had just said the most romantic thing ever. "Bring it on, Wolfe." Inching closer, she gave a light peck on his nose, making his face beam bright shades of ebony red.

Realizing that he had stated his promises, Silver swore his heart stopped as he remembered the second phase of his plan. Breathing seemed impossible. Heartbeats fisted his chest like a Hitmontop. Forcing a heavy gulp, the man looked around nervously. "And…um… There is another thing…"

"Oh, what is that?" Kotone asked cheerfully, completely oblivious to the apprehensive reaction he was giving. Suddenly, she stared in confusion as Silver stood up from the bed. The man's eyes were shielded from his red bangs. His mouth formed a straight line, revealing no expression whatsoever. "Silver, is everything alright-"

"In a year, I will have all of the strongest trainers defeated. And when I do, I just have one more thing to do…" His voice rattled like an Ekans. She realized the obvious tremor in his shoulders. Confusion once again parked her mind. Apparently, she soon realized that Silver had been acting quite off since he confessed his promises. "Silvy," Her voice was soft as silk, chiming like the melodious bells of heaven. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes grew even wider and her heart stopped a beat once Silver suddenly went down on one knee in front of her.

"Kotone Soul," He took her hands, his palms still icy cold from the nervousness. "Will you marry me?"

Her mouth dropped and hanged. Her eyes were the widest any human could form. Silver looked down, not even daring to look at the baffled expression. Truth be told, he had never been so scared in his life. For a man who was born with murder as a daily activity, had seen many deaths in his life, and also had been dealing with numerous risky situations, one could figure how an anticipating moment like this could be torturing as hell.

She was quiet as a rock, and that didn't help him at all. "I-I know I don't have a ring right now, and this is all too sudden dammit why did I even propose I should have steal- I mean bought a ring dammit! Kotone I didn't mean 'steal' that was a force of habit I-"

He was shushed completely as he felt her arms tightly wrapping around his neck. Being caught off guard, the man landed on his bum. Thankfully, his palms were pressed against the soft carpet, balancing his fall with his lady kneeling between his legs. "K-Kotone…?" Silver stuttered like a fool, heat rushing to his hot face.

"Yes."

For a moment, Silver swore he thought he heard it wrong. "I- What?"

"Yes. Yes _Yes!_" Kotone cheered excitingly, tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Of course I'll marry you! I love you, you sweet dork! I love you to bits! The answer is yes!" She swayed left and right, zealously shouting her answer in his ear.

Even if he did hear her wrong, he wished he was the one who was incorrect. "Thank you." Silver hugged the brunette's hair, lips gently planting little kisses on her shoulder. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…!" Tears trickled down his cheeks, each drop resembling the magical miracle of the moment.

Both laughed in sheer bliss, cherishing the moment that would remain in their hearts forever. Kotone giggled adorably as Silver tickled her with his teasing kisses. She felt his hug tightening. She felt his heart racing. In fact, she could even feel the traces of his tears dripping down the bare of her neck.

Suddenly, the moment was cut short once Kotone broke the hug. "There is one thing, though…"

It was his turn to flaunt his version of shock. Silver gawked dumbly, his eyes round and soaked. "What?"

Another giggle burst from her mouth, thrilled to see such a genuine expression on his face. Scooting her body closer with hands playfully tugging at his hair, Kotone purred, "Are you sure it's in a year?"

The first minute, he felt like skipping in a field of daisies. The next minute, it was as if he tripped on a rock, causing him to revert back to his old self. Teeth gritting in agitation, Silver posed a hurtful scowl. "Are you saying I can't defeat those asses in a year-?"

"I didn't say that." He froze as her finger touched his lips. Kotone gave a low sigh. _Silver will always be Silver._

But then again, those are one of the reasons why she fell for him.

Flashing a meek smile, Kotone gently ruffled his hair. "What I meant was, there is a lot of gym leaders and Champions, you know. It'll take quite a while reaching to each place. Besides, getting to each region takes days. It's not like Kanto and Johto." Her hand moved to his cheek, fingers carefully caressing his soft skin. "I know you can defeat them, Skitty. I never doubted you for a second."

His temper cooled down as if a bucket of cold water had been doused on his head. His scowl turned into a sulk of a frown. His face was hot on her touch. "I can destroy them in a year. Just watch me."

Another chime of giggles bounced off her chest. "How about…" Kotone flashed three fingers in front of his gaze. "Three years?"

His frown grew wider. But this time, instead of anger, stubbornness took over. "Two years," he egoistically refused, showing two fingers.

"Two and a half years." She herself wasn't giving in either. Using her other hand, Kotone flashed her index finger.

Silver didn't refuse, neither did he accept. He wondered for a while, the corner of his lips twitching in thought. Kotone flashed an adorable smile, cheeks shading light colours of pink as she patiently waited.

Silver didn't know how, but his smile was immediately formed the second he saw her radiant smile. "Fine then. Two and a half years, and I will be legitimately yours forev- Whoah!"

He gasped as Kotone pounced him once more for another lovable hug. "I love you a lot, Silver Wolfe." He heard her murmur softly to his ear, causing him to shudder in complete passion and affection.

That very night, Silver had broken out of his vile façade. The mask of torturous despair finally cracked into two and fell off his face, finally revealing the face of the once happy child. His eyes showed pure love. His smile revealed nothing more but blesses and gratitude. Hugging her waist closer to his body, Silver leaned his chin on her delicate shoulder. "I love you too, Kotone Soul. Always have. Always will…"


	30. EPILOGUE

The sun brightened lightly in the town of New Bark. The lake was a clear blue. The sky was a clear white. Pidgeys chirped and cooed in the vast blanket of magnificence. Sentrets and Rattatas scurried around the fields of Route 29.

But compared to any other normal days, today was a very special day for a very special couple.

Kotone fidgeted in front of the mirror, hands nervously twisting the hem of her dress. Her hair was free from any bind. Instead, it was cut to a medium bob until the edges touched her shoulders. A beautiful veil was placed on her hair, draping until it reached the back of her waist. Her red lips were sucked and puckered quite a few times, mind tangled on the upcoming moment she was about to be in.

"Kotone," White chuckled in amusement as she stared at her nervous cousin. Usually, Kotone would be the one jumping and squealing in excitement when it came to people's weddings.

But then again, attending at your own wedding was a whole different story, perhaps.

Clicking her heels, she shorter brunette spun and around faced her cousin. "H-how do I look?" she asked nervously, voice almost hinting a timid squeak. Both White's and Kotone's female Pokémon giggled cheerfully, their funny bones tickled to see the rare emotions from the usually perky woman.

"You look beautiful, Kotone." Sitting comfortably, White flashed a thumbs-up. She herself was wearing a black sleeveless dress, length reaching to her knees. A lace of green was tied to her waist, the left end knotting to a small bow. Her hair was pulled to a high ponytail, a red flower positioning comfortably on her right ear. "You look like a queen, alright. But then again, it is your wedding day." White breathed a small giggle as she crossed her leg against another.

A little voice that sounded off as 'ahem' entered White's ear, making her release a small groan. "And of course, Lillil did decorate your wedding dress."

The Lilligant scoffed in pride, leafy hands holding her waist. 'You darn right I did,' she scoffed boastfully, leafy hands holding her waist in pride. She knew the other Pokémon were rolling their eyes at her personality, but then again she was too happy and proud to even care.

Kotone giggled at the Flowering Pokémon's personality. "Thank you so much, Lillil. What you've done for me will forever be remembered." Spinning her heels, she faced the full body mirror. Her hazel eyes gleamed in awe at the sleeveless dress that perfectly clung to her body. Her wedding dress was white as snow, length long that it dropped to the floor in a shape of an opened flower. Gentle colour of red lace draped over her shoulders like a jacket, wrapping until it reached both the back of her palms. Each soft crimson lace took the form of vines, each stitched carefully and with precision and perfection, concealing from chest to stomach.

The more she looked at the person in the mirror, the more her eyes couldn't believe it.

"Wow…" A soft whisper of disbelief was breathed, not enough to reach into the ears of others. Her fists went to her beating chest, palms shaking and heartbeat racing. However, no matter how nervous she may look or be, nothing could remove the excitement booming in her heart. She bit back the urge to smile or laugh. Her lips began to quiver in joy, poorly hiding what was dancing in her mind.

Today was the day. The day she – they – had been waiting for. After countless times of hardships and blessing, after numerous moments of smiles and tears, the day had finally arrived.

And to think, even though she had dreamt this moment since she was a little girl, Kotone would lie if she said she wasn't the least bit nervous.

"You know, Kotone." White's voice brought her back to reality. She turned her head, curious eyes staring at the woman who was mindlessly scanning her corsage. "As much as that man's still a pain in the ass to me-"

"White," Kotone groaned lightly, mouth twitching a disappointed frown. Even to this day, even when they were now full-grown adults, White still hold a beef against Silver. And it didn't help once the redhead actually defeated White in battle – seeing that she wasn't even the champion of her region anymore.

"But," White raised a finger, body sitting up straight as she made her point, "I'm happy he's the man you're gonna be with." She saw the shock in her face, eyebrows raised in a state of slight confusion. A chuckle bounced off her natural red lips. "I mean come on, one look at the guy and I know he loves the hell outta you." She spoke with such nonchalance as she stood up, knowing that Kotone's face had shaded a nice colour of pink.

"And also it's safe to know that Silver will rip anyone's throat who tries to hurt you." She continued, fingers brushing the small bangs on her forehead. White heard a loud laugh at her comment, a sound she obviously expected.

"Very funny, White." Her laughter ceased to tiny giggles. Shaking her head slowly, Kotone looked at her tall cousin. "I thought you were about to say that you were still pissed about losing to Silvy."

An aggravated scoff was heard as a remark. Memories of two weeks ago flashed even in the Pokémon's eyes. Hand on her hip and head flipping arrogantly, White retorted, "Don't remind me. Like I need another flashing image of that man doing a dumb dance in front of my face." Banette, Volcarona, and Lillil flashed small smiles at their trainer's attitude, both fairly surprised at how well White took it when Silver shoved her defeat by literally doing a dance number in her gaze.

Well, if it weren't for N holding White back, they feared Silver might attend his own wedding in a wheelchair.

"You should have seen the look on Feraligatr's face when he took down Reshiram," Kotone mused happily as Ampharos gave her a beautiful bouquet of red roses. Curving a delightful smile, she patted the Pokémon's head and mouthed a 'thank you' to her.

"Well, you should have seen Silver's face when he proposed to you for the second time after he defeated you."

Her patting froze as White naughtily remembered her. Once again the evil colours of embarrassment invaded her face, heating up to her forehead. "No wait, it was his face when you said 'yes' that should be seen." White laughed happily, showing no signs of guilt as she explained. "Seriously I did not know that man could actually jump that high."

"Oh be quiet!" Kotone squeaked in abash, lips posing a childish pout. She crossed her arms and gave a single stomp as an act of irate. To her dismay, White ignored her and kept laughing, hands even on her aching stomach as she guffawed louder. The room echoed with the sounds of utter amusement, all courtesy from the spunky brunette. The Pokémon shook their heads and chuckled quietly, very used to the personalities of both ladies.

Suddenly, an idea lit on Kotone's head. With a sly smirk curving her lips, she looked at her still cackling cousin. "Speaking of proposals, congratulations on finally being asked by N."

That halted her laughter in a blink.

Her cheeks flushed in red. Her aqua eyes were wide as plates. Glaring at Kotone, White spat an embarrassed, "S-shut up!"

"I mean, who knew?" It was Kotone's turn to laugh in glee. "He actually proposed while riding a Zebstrika _and_ while in his black armour? I mean seriously, even I can't convince Silver to do that!" She laughed and clapped her hands cheerfully, careful not to stain her makeup or dress. "But the best part is the fact that he proposed to you while you were sleeping! You should have seen the look on your face when you got abruptly woken up!"

White bit the insides of her cheeks in vex, face a brilliant shade of red. "Well, whose idea was it to tell him that proposing someone out of the blue while they were sleeping was a good idea?"

Her laughter ceased, tuning to fine, girlish giggles. "You're welcome." Kotone twirled to face the mirror once again, hands lightly tapping her cheeky cheeks. "Just imagine, soon you while be known as-"

"Don't say it." White growled.

She said it. "White Gropius!" More cackles echoed the room. Even in her majestic wedding dress, that never stopped Kotone from actually bursting a laughing fit and tapping her high-heeled foot.

Rest assured that White's face was so hot it could cook an egg. The other Pokémon stifled their chuckles, their acts poorly disguised by the women's sight. Stomping one foot on the carpeted floor, White took one breath and sharply declared, "Even though I'm gonna marry him, I will keep my last name even if it kills me, or my name isn't-"

"White!"

She literally jumped an inch to hear that all-too-familiar voice. All eyes were on the doorframe, seeing the one and only N standing in the flesh. His body was clad in a jet black tailcoat. Its sleeves were long and the buttons on its front were open. The shirt tucked inside was white, as so the vest itself. A simple, light red cravat was tied under the collar of his shirt. His black pants matched his upper wear, completing his attire of the day.

Thankfully, they knew N didn't hear what they were conversing about, for he then tilted his head and eyed the room in slight confusion. "What are we talking about here?"

White continued her traumatic adventures of blushing, while the others posed joyful smiles. "N, you're not supposed to be in the b-bride's room!" Finally, the brunette stammered, voice shaky as she unfortunately remembered the day he proposed. Out of all the days he took, N just had to propose to her when she looked like a disgruntled cavewoman.

That, and the fact that her whole Pokémon, especially her Zebstrika, agreed to tag along in the dumb plan.

Completely unfazed by her personality, N flashed a boyish smile and chuckled. "My dear, I am not the one to wed Kotone in a few minutes, so I am perfectly allowed in the bride's room." Taking two long strides toward White, he gently placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Besides, I miss seeing the radiant face of whom I shall call 'wife' soon."

Well, if she thought she couldn't get any more embarrassed, she thought wrong. "I-I… Nimrod!" White stuttered like a bashful fool, eyes averting away from the innocently smiling greenette. The man blew a gentle chuckle, always amused to see her many expression that still brought him amazement to this day. Looking behind his fiancé, he saw Kotone, standing quite nervously with fingers twiddling on her bouquet. However, no matter how anxious she may be, N knew only Arceus could feel the excitement bursting from the petite woman's heart. "Are you ready to be led down the aisle, Kotone?"

She took one long breath, shoulders lifted and lips pursing to a wide smile. "Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

Silver fumbled with his red bowtie. To his dismay, the more he fixed it, the more it looked crooked in his vision. "Damn it…" he breathed in irk, teeth slowly grinding in a state of overreacting fear.

And it didn't help that N was complementing him. "You look rather charming."

"Dude," Silver hissed through gritted teeth, fist lightly fisting his forehead. "For the last time, stop saying that!" He watched through the the mirror as N stood a few steps behind him, arms crossed and lips posing a disappointed frown.

"I was merely stating an obvious truth," N muttered with a pout, sometimes feeling quite intimidated by the redhead's blatant attitude.

"Yeah well," Spinning his heel, Silver looked at the taller man, "you stating an obvious truth is kinda weirding me out. So don't." He raised his hands in an act of defence. A black crisp tuxedo was worn by the redheaded man. A white shirt was neatly tucked beneath the buttoned coat. Only a simple red bow was tied on his neck, adding as a finishing touch to the simple yet dashing attire. His crimson red hair, unlike any other days, was combed to the back, edges trimmed that it almost touched his broad shoulders.

Upon hearing his words, N blew a low scoff and slowly shook his head. "You are nervous," he stated blankly, voice calm and filled with assurance.

And it honestly irritated Silver to the bone. "I am not nervous! The hell would I be nervous for something like this? I am Silver Wolfe. I _don't_ get nervous. In fact, I'm fine! I'm peachy and fine and having no time to be nervous!" He bellowed a dumb laugh, expression showing one of utter idiocy.

'He's nervous.' His team of six, even N's Zoroark, spoke in unison, merely guaranteeing what he was foolishly hiding.

N posed a lazy grin. If he thought White was such an oddball, apparently he had found another one. "It is okay to feel nervous on such a glorious day, Silver."

"I said I'm not nervous," Silver growled sourly, silver eyes glaring daggers at the serene greenette.

A defeated sigh escaped N's lips. "You know, as a friend, it is also okay to confide especially in crucial times like-"

"I'm not nervous." The man was stubborn as a rock.

"Your voice is shaking. Your pupils are dilating. Sweat can be seen dripped on the sides of your forehead. You have been inhaling and exhaling quite loudly through your mouth. A few foul words have been poorly heard as well. Your teeth grind in your pursed mouth. Your lips shiver every four minutes. And right now, you are merely denying what is obvious before us." N explained without hesitation or pausing, showing not a glint of doubt in his observation. Silver, on the other hand, gawked dumbly with jaw dropping and hanging.

Silence filled the groom's room. One stood in comfortable certainty while the other looked like his eyes were about to fall off.

A few minutes later, Silver shook his head, body shivering that N had been observing him that clearly. "Just…" He let out a heavy sigh, hand running up his hair. "I'm not nervous."

"Silver-"

Before N could state out more 1001 observations and creep him out, Silver added, "I'm just… I don't know…" His fingers slowly massaged his forehead, face wearing one of worry. "I'm afraid I might fuck up…"

A questioning eyebrow rose from N's forehead. "What do you mean?"

"That's what I mean. I don't know." He sighed heavily. Turning around, Silver faced the mirror. His eyes held the glint of worry. His lips curved the line of trouble. "I just…"

"You are worried at the thought of you even deserving her after all that has happened?" N finished what was clouding his mind. And oddly enough, that actually eased off a part of Silver's burden. The man didn't say a word. He looked to the side, face perfectly showing what N had accurately verbalized.

N felt as the team purred and barked in support. He saw as Silver awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. A chuckle vibrated in his chest, extremely amused at the redhead's many unpredictable behaviour. "Do you want to know the answer regarding your irrational fear?" he asked kindly, eyes meeting the gaze of the groom.

"I'm not sure I want to." Silver grumbled sourly, however mind very curious and nervous to hear out the answer from him.

"I think," N took one step forward, arms bent against his chest, "all the difficulties you and Kotone had endured are tests of your relationship. Some are devastatingly bad, I admit." Both shivered at the thought of their respective pasts. "But in the end, good comes out of it."

Once again, none peep a word. Until finally, Silver broke the silence by wheezing a dry chuckle. "How is that answering my 'irrational fear'?" He said with a mock tone of N's voice; an attitude he unwarily picked up from Kotone.

But his sarcasm was thrown off the window once N replied, "You have the answer all along."

Silver hushed in an instant, actually stunned to hear those simple words. N posed a small smile, happy to see his silver eyes softening to a shocked glow.

'Excuse me.'

Before any of the men could speak, another voice caught their attention. Mewtwo stood by the doorframe with Typhlosion by his side. Both males wore black bowties, tied perfectly adorable on their neck – even though Typhlosion kept complaining on how annoying it was. 'I am sorry to intrude, but the bride is ready to be led.' Mewtwo spoke with such formality and peace, whereas Typhlosion was trying to nibble the bowtie off his neck. Rolling his eyes, the Genetic Pokémon lightly elbowed his friend, awakening him from his distraction.

N's smile merely widened. But Silver was soon reverted back to his nervous self. "Very well, then." Looking at the redhead, he walked toward him and gave Silver a single pat on the shoulder. "Congratulations." And with that, he left the room, even bringing along Zoroark and Silver's team who were highly curious about Kotone's wedding dress. In the end, the room whistled a breezy silence with Silver, Mewtwo, and Typhlosion in the room.

Silver knew the three had reached an understanding. But judging by the intense atmosphere of the wedding, the only made him even more awkward and jittery.

'Damn bowtie…' Thankfully, Typhlosion was too distracted on his single attire rather than his trainer-in-law.

Silver looked left and right, fist gently fisting his palm. He didn't know what to say. He was speechless to the bone. And his mind would love to yell at himself for being so stupidly quiet – if his mental state wasn't so frigid as well.

_You are nervous._

"Holy crap!" Silver jumped to hear another voice in his mind. Even with 2 and a half years of venturing together, he was still not used to the whole telepathy mojo. He questioned how Kotone could even sought peace with another voice invading her mind 24/7.

_It's not that hard actually. She knows how to focus and stay alert._ Mewtwo laughed quietly as he answered his unvoiced question.

A frown curved his mouth. "I'm not-" Silver stopped in midsentence, mentally scowling at himself for being too stubborn. Finally, he released a slow breath, hand waved in defeat. "I am…slightly nervous."

Once again the legendary chuckled while Typhlosion did another failed attempt of gnawing off his bowtie. Apparently, Ampharos knew how to tie the knot tightly.

"Hey guys," Silver spoke, voice quiet yet perfectly clear in both the males.

_Yes, child?_ Mewtwo looked at him. Even Typhlosion who was furiously fumbling with the bow cast a curious glance at the groom.

"I uh…" Awkward sipped into his bones. "I just…just wanna let you know that we're gonna be family soon. And I know we had some bad blood in the past." A low beastly grumble was heard from the fire starter. "But I'm gonna marry her soon. And she means a lot to me. So…um…just wanna let you know that it's actually been great to know you guys. And…" Silver released a heavy sigh. Clearly, expressing emotions was the one thing he totally sucked.

"I hope…we're cool and all coz honestly you guys are the best badasses I've met." Silver spoke with one breath, then burst a short gasp of air.

Once it was heard, both males were unexpectedly shocked. Typhlosion, especially, gaped at Silver as if he had performed a miracle. In all their years of rivalry and deep hatred for each other, never had the man complimented about him. And now, in the bright sunny days of his wedding and after countless times of bickering and clashing foreheads, he actually confessed something that even Typhlosion had a hard time processing.

Silver knew he was being looked at like some show, and he hated it. "Soooo…we're cool?" Plucking up his courage, the man looked at the two, lips forming a smile surprisingly innocent coming from himself.

His lips twitched to a pout once Typhlosion mumbled in a mix of abash and spite and walked away. Mewtwo gave a cynical laugh at the starter's stubborn act. _Typhlosion said that you better make Kotone happy, or else he will burn you to the bone._

To some people, it sounded like a horrifying threat. But to Silver, it was a happy agreement. A smile back on his face and cheeks tinted in red, he coughed a chuckle. "Tell him I'll make sure of that."

_Well, better get ready. You don't want your bride to actually wait for you, now do you?_ Mewtwo joked as he turned around, ready to walk to the backyard.

"Hey Mewtwo." But before he could move two steps, the man called him again. Glancing over his shoulder, the legendary raised an eyebrow. _Yes?_

What he said next actually intensified his bafflement. "Thanks for being my friend…"

His purple eyes were round. Shock was written all over his face. Quickly Mewtwo turned and faced him. Silver showed nothing but a genuine smile; one that resembled a lot like the person they dearly missed.

Mewtwo returned the smile, giving the same about of honesty as his newly formed friend. _Thank you for being my friend as well, Silver._

* * *

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to today to join this man, Silver Wolfe and this woman, Kotone Soul in holy matrimony…"

The preacher spoke his speech as he stood before the couple. All eyes were on the two. All their attentions were solely focused on the two people that were about to tie their bond for life.

However, even with the preacher reciting his words, even with all the witnesses watching the magnificent moment, the couple felt as if they were the only two in this world.

"This is it…" Kotone whispered happily, voice steady so that she couldn't be heard but only him. Her face beamed like a thousand suns. Her cheeks were shaded in the most naturally glorious colours of pink. She held his hands tightly, feeling his thumb gently caressing her fingers.

"I know…" he murmured huskily, flashing the calmest and softest smile she had ever seen. 'Happy' or 'excited' was an understatement to how he was truly feeling right now.

"I'm actually marrying you…" She giggled childishly, shoulders slightly shaking as she tried so hard to stiffen a giggle.

Looking at her smile. Hearing the sound of her beautiful voice. Silver felt like he was in heaven, and the angel in front of him was a blessing. "We're gonna be together forever."

She gave a curt nod, hazel eyes glowing with pure joy. "Forever and ever," she said. "You think you can handle that simple task, Mr Silver Wolfe?"

Truly, his smile was utterly sincere. "I'm all up for it, Mrs Kotone Wolfe."

She wanted to squeal in joy. He was drowned in her mesmerizing gaze. "I love you," Kotone mouthed sweetly, holding his hands closer in her grasp.

To hear those words so many times, he truly felt alive. "I love you…"

"Do you, Silver Wolfe, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The preacher finally asked as he finished his speech, completely unaware that the bride and groom had been whispering to each other this whole time.

Eyes showing the pure love that only she could know, see, and feel, Silver gave a glowing smile and nodded. "I do."

"Do you, Kotone Soul, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The preacher gazed at Kotone, who looked like she was about to burst in happy tears any moment.

Her hazel eyes gleaming like stars and heart feeling blessed as ever, Kotone coughed a bashful giggle and nodded. "I do."

"Then, by the power vested in me," Upon seeing the lover's faces, he himself felt like a bundle of blissful joy. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Showing no hesitance or nervousness, Silver snaked his arms on Kotone's waist and lightly pulled her closer. Soon enough, their lips met, closing the minimal distance and proving their beautiful, pure love to one another. The audience clapped and cheered. White and N smiled as they held hands. Their Pokémon barked and mewled in excitement, happy for their trainers.

Finally, an abyss that was once so broken, was now beautifully stitched up by hope.

And finally, a demon whose heart was once so hollow, was now miraculously filled with love.

_**END.**_


End file.
